Strange New World
by MegaPrinny
Summary: Our friend Joe has been pulled into the world of Minecraft! But theres only one problem...The Mobs are all girls! Will he escape, or will he be stuck in a perpetual hell like Steve? Read in to find out!
1. Pulled In

**Hey Guys, It's me again, and after playing Minecraft again, I discovered the MobTalker Mod, and I noticed the character models on them….I swear, Japan has somewhat no shame… Anyhow, I decided to make a fic about Minecraft involving these, but I have little to no idea about this mod. I guess I'll have to wing it from here.**

**Now with introductions aside, I hope you enjoy.**

**Disclaimer:Minecraft belongs to Mojang and its respective owners.**

* * *

It was a rather quiet day in Box Elder, South Dakota. Nothing else really went on in this state during the winter, so everyone mostly kept to themselves.

Our story begins with a certain young man named Joe, or so his friends call him.

Being the usual gamer he was, he kept to himself with his extensive collection of video games. He could say theres nothing to play, but if you saw how many games he has, you could get a little annoyed.

Anyway, he mostly kept to himself, surrounded by games and video game paraphernalia.

He decided tonight, he would go back into Minecraft, a game involving blocks and crafting. He didn't know what he liked about it, it just had a certain charm about it.

He was playing through a new world, because he had a habit of making a new one every time he boots the game up.

He had a pretty good start in the game, he had already found a surplus of iron and coal. He was pretty proud of himself. He usually finds this stuff pretty early on, but not this early.

"Man, I haven't seen this much iron this early on in a long time. Not since I played it on the PS3." He said to himself, scratching his head, in surprise. "I must have got a lucky seed!"

He kept playing until he came across a village. surprisingly next to his home in game.

"Man, this really is a lucky seed~!" He exclaimed. He looked in his inventory for stuff to trade. He glanced his player skin and couldn't help but chuckle. It looked like him in a Prinny suit. He loved Prinnies. He played the Disgaea games for years and he always considered them the best kind of characters.

He exited his inventory and went towards the village. he saw a plethora of buildings. the village had everything. Library, church, and a blacksmith!

"Blacksmith! There's diamonds in there!" He yelled and then darted towards the building.

He looked in the chest and saw three diamonds. The perfect amount to make a diamond pickaxe!

"Holy balls, this games gonna be short!" Joe yelled in happiness.

He then stood still.

"I should put something in here, to trade for the diamonds. That fanart I saw about villagers made me feel a bit guilty about raiding their homes and taking their stuff…But what could I trade?" He said as he went through his inventory.

He kept his valuable stuff in the chest in his home, so he didn't have much. What he did have was about thirty pieces of coal and fifteen iron ore, which he grabbed in a nearby cave.

"Well, I could smelt the iron in the furnace the blacksmith has, and trade that, but somehow, it doesn't seem enough…" He said scratching his head.

He decided to smelt the iron and place it in the chest, promising to give more valuables. He took the diamonds, feeling a bit of guilt, and left the village.

It was in that moment, that outisde his room, a rainstorm started.

"The hell? Rain in winter? Oh, it's gonna be a pain in the ass to get to work tomorrow…" Joe said, with a slight tone of worry in his voice.

He decided to dismiss this, and went back to his game.

He left to make his diamond pickaxe, but the rain outside turned into a storm.

"Lightning! Holy crap, I know the weather here is bad, but damn…" He said to himself.

He continued in his game, and found his home in game. He was about to make his diamond pickaxe, when he noticed something was behind him.

It was the blacksmith, he followed him all the way out.

"Huh? The hell? You gave me a bit of a scare...Was it the diamonds? I'll come back for more stuff to trade…" Joe said to himself. He had a habit of talking to himself, but hes alone most of the time, what can you expect? He has good friends, but they have their own things to do.

He then heard the thunder and lightning crash the sky outside his window.

"Weathers getting worse…" He said to himself, but he turned up the volume on his game to drown the sounds of the thunder.

He looked at the villager, and noticed he was staring at Joe.

"Uhm…" Joe said, slightly uncomfortable.

The villager stared at him, then proceeded to go among his business like all villagers do.

"Weird…" Joe said, then went among his business. he was about to make his pickaxe, when the power to his house suddenly cut out.

"H-Hey! What the hell!? Crap, my computer shut down…" Joe said, in dismay.

The power suddenly came on, and it cut straight back to his game.

"Holy...the power came back on, and now my games back...even without resetting my computer." He said to himself.

It was in that moment, he noticed something different about the game.

There was a sudden sign that was placed in front of him, where the villager stood. the villager seemed to disappear, but he came across it as him wandering off.

He read the sign, and it read as such:

**Thieves must pay.**

Joe froze in his seat.

"W-What? When has this ever been done? This is strange, I need to-What the hell!?" Joe said, when he noticed his computer screen was glowing, a glowing white screen.

"Whats going on!? Is this scripted!?" He yelled as the screen grew brighter.

He then felt his arm being pulled towards the screen, even going beyond the screen, where he would normally hit his hand.

"W-What!?" Joe screamed as more of his arm was being pulled in.

The vacuum them eventually pulled in his whole arm, pulling his shoulder and neck.

"What the Fuck!?" Joe yelled as he tried to resist the vaccum.

The screen then pulled him with one last pull, pulling his entire body in, with him screaming as he was pulled him.

When the dust settled, the screen remained idle, with the sign in front of the player's view.

Then, the power cut, shutting down the system.

* * *

**Man, that took not that much time...I should work on other fanfictions with that kind of speed and determination...anyway, If this gets interesting to you, then I will update shortly, along with To-LoveEd, in the near future.**

**Please read and review, and give me some opinions on it. You won't believe how much your positive criticism brightens my day.**

**Anyhow, I will see you all in the next chapter.**


	2. First Night

**See? Took no time at all. Anyway, I'm back with another chapter or this, with HOURS of planning.**

**I hope you Enjoy.**

* * *

Everything seemed white to Joe. He then opened his eyes, with a sunlight shining in his face.

"Ugh...too bright…" he said as he covered his eyes from the light.

He sat up and felt his neck and back crack.

He bent over in discomfort, but not pain.

"Ugh, what am I laying on?" He said as he felt his "bed".

Dirt and grass.

"Huh? The hell?" He said as he felt more.

Yep. Grass and dirt.

"Man..." He said to himself.

His eyes adjusted to the light, and he could not believe what he was seeing.

A lush forest, bordering what looks like plains, with hills…except…

They were made out of blocks…

Blocks. All about 1 meter in size. As if put together like Legos.

"No…."

Trees made of blocks.

"...Fucking…"

Water made of blocks.

.

"...Way."

He knew for certain where he was. It only took one look for him to find out.

He was in Minecraft.

"Holy Crap! I can't believe it!" Joe yelled as he stood up.

He looked everywhere he could, staring in awe.

He then looked at himself, and saw he was wearing his clothes he was wearing when he was home. His favorite hoodie, jeans, and for some reason, socks and shoes.

"Huh...guess the game didn't want me bare-footed...Oh well, at least I'm in comfortable clothes." He said.

He then attempted to recollect his thoughts as he breathed in in a relaxed pattern.

"Alright, new world, new world, I'm gonna need to grab some wood, make a table, then mine some stone, and find a cave, no, gotta find a village...God, theres just so much to do…" Joe said as he paced back and forth.

"Alright, first things first, gotta chop some wood." He said as he darted towards the nearest tree and then stopped.

"With...my bare hands…" He said as he looked at his hands. surprisingly, they didn't turn into blocks, but the were just his regular hands and arms.

He then made a slight punch on the tree, which then a crack in the texture sprout. It then quickly filled back in.

Joe pondered, then realized.

The then made a confident chuckle, then braced his arm by flexing it, then punched it with all his might.

Apparently, the other wood blocks that were connected to it and each other fell apart as well,. changing in miniature-sized versions of themselves.

He looked at his hands. "Heh. I'm a walking Timber Mod."

He picked up the blocks, then went towards another tree. He did the same for the first tree, then continued for many trees.

He stopped when he had two stacks of wood in his possession, then took a break.

"Man, my arm's sore…" He said, rubbing his arm.

He then wondered…

"How in the hell do I make planks, let alone a crafting bench with this?" He pondered.

He then came on it by surprise as he then hit the wood, which turned into four separate mini-blocks of planks.

Beacause of this discovery, he made more planks, enough for a small house, with raw wood as the supports.

He put together the bench and placed it on the ground.

In that moment, he felt a presence, and looked around, but found nothing.

He brushed off the feeling, then went back to his work. "Gonna need to make wood tools…" He said as he somehow made a wooden pickaxe, sword, axe, and shovel.

To his suprise, they looked nothing like they do in game. The sword was a broadsword, with a five-foot long blade, the axe a five foot long handle with a blade looking like a wood-axe blade, the pickaxe about the same size and look of a normal pickaxe he saw in his world, and the shovel looking like a regular shovel, about four feet long.

"Never expected them to look like this..." He said., then went to work.

He used the shovel on some nearby sand to make glass, but he needed cobblestone in order to make a furnace.

And he couldn't find any anywhere.

"Crap, I'm gonna need to explore a bit and find some…" He said as he took down his crafting table and placed it in his pocket.

He then made a leaf block catch fire, using survival techniques, and cooked the sand, turning it into glass, but he lost the block after the glass cooked. He picked up the glass and placed it in his pocket.

He walked for what seemed like hours, until nightfall seemed to come by.

"Crap, it's nearly dark...Mobs come out when it's dark…" He said as he kept walking.

He saw a light in the distance, and noticed they were torches.

"Is that..a village?" He said, as he looked closer.

It was faint, but he saw a block of black wool with torches all around it.

"Yes! It Is! I can make a home there, because I don't want to take a villagers own home."

He said as he darted towards the village.

He then found a well, and started to build his house a few blocks away from the well.

He made a 10X9X8 house, with two stories three blocks each, with wooden floors and everything. He still couldn't build a furnace, but he used his leftover planks to build stairs, which on minecraft logic, are also used for roofing, and a door.

When he finally finished his house, he looked at the sky, and found the round minecraft moon.

"Well, it was a cube in early versions. I must be in the latest version." He said as he entered his home.

He took of his shoes and left them at the door, then looked out the windows, which were made out of glass panes, to make the windows a bit more pleasant to look at.

When he was done admiring his house, he noticed his stomach was growling.

"Huh...Now that I think about it, I haven't had anything to eat while I've been here." he said, placing his hand on his stomach. "Think I might have picked up some apples while i was gathering wood."

He then searched his pockets, and found leftover planks, some saplings, and one apple.

One single apple.

"Shit….I guess when the sun comes out, I'll go gather some food…" He said as he tooka bit out of the apple. "Huh. Better than I thought it would be." He said as he chewed.

He then felt the same presence, then looked out his windows. Nothing, just like the first time.

He chewed his apple, then walked up the stairs he made to the second floor.

"Well, no furnace, no coal, no torches, and no bed…" He said as he finished his apple.

He then sighed.

"Shit...I'm gonna have to sleep on the floor." He said as he went where he would put a bed.

He laid down on the hard planks on his back, resting his head on his hands.

"Well...not bad for a first day. I just wonder what's going on back home…" He said as he dozed off into sleep.

* * *

**Huh. I just might make more chapters tonight. Well, I hoped you enjoyed this. most likely the next few chapters will be uploaded in a short amount of time.**

**Anyway, I'll see you guys in the next chapter.**


	3. Not-So-Explosive Personality

**Well, I made this right after I finished the last one, so this will be uploaded along with the second chapter.**

**If only I did all-nighters more often, I'd have other fanfictions done.**

**Oh well, this seemed a bit more important to me.**

**Well, I'm rambling, so please…**

**Enjoy.**

* * *

Joe awoke with the sun shining in his face, as he sat back up, a felt his joints crack like the previous morning.

"Man...I see why a bed is a must…" He said as he stood up and made his way downstairs.

He walked through the first floor and put on his shoes.

A slight breeze blew on Joe, giving a very refreshed feeling.

"Man, people just don't see what Vanilla worlds are like. All about the mods and crap…I just can't believe I'm seeing the sight in front of me." He said, with a smile.

After a few moments of awe, he then went back into his home.

"Well, time to go to work." He said as he closed his door.

He placed his bench against a wall. he made two chests out of more leftover planks, and placed them right next to each other, making a large chest.

Now that he had a storage unit, he then emptied everything he had into the chest, except for his pickaxe, sword, shovel and axe.

"What to do, what to-" He said, until he felt the same presence as he felt the day before.

He looked at the windows, and he could swear he saw something disappear as soon as he looked out the windows.

"Something's there, but I can never see it. Am I being stalked? Weird…" He said as he went to his business.

"Maybe I should make a hoe, in case I find seeds...But I'll need iron to make a bucket to make a proper irrigation system..So, that can wait...I need to get cobblestone to make a furnace, and make better equipment. I could use raw wood blocks to make charcoal, and make some torches and something to fuel it...Man, so much to do!" He said as he walked out and went into the wilderness.

He then wandered until he found a cave, rimmed with cobblestone.

After he mined it, he heard a familiar tone.

"Cows. I can get some food to eat, and some leather for armor! I'm off to a great start!"

After finding a few cows, he harvested raw beef and some pieces of leather.

After, he went all over and found many materials and food items. Wool from sheep to make a bed, some eggs, apples, and some meat from cows and pigs. Coal for torches and fuel, and plenty of cobblestone.

"No string, so no fish...screw it, I don't like fish anyways."He said as he walked on his way home, carrying all he had collected.

He was almost home, when he noticed something outside of his home.

Well, more like some_one_ than something.

He saw a small figure, looking through the outer side of his windows inside his house.

The figure seemed to be a girl, with a jacket with the same design as the creepers, wearing light grey stockings, and didn't seemed to be wearing any pants. She was wearing brown gloves that could be seen as she tried to scan the windows.

"Uh…" He said in surprise. He walked closer to the girl, who didn't seem to notice he was behind her.

He saw what looked like sunset-orange hair poking through her hood, but he couldn't see her face.

"Er...Can I help you?" He said to the girl, who seemed to jump at his voice.

The girl then turned around to reveal her face, which looked as if she was about fifteen-sixteen years old, and she looked nervous.

_Wow...shes pretty cute..._

"U-Uhm, Its not what it looks like! I was just...er…" the girl stuttered saying.

"So you were what I felt. You make a good hider." He said, smiling.

"O-Oh? Really? I guess…" The girl said, still nervous.

"How can I help you? Don't think I've ever seen anyone like you around here." Joe asked.

"Well...if its not to much trouble, could I get something to eat and drink from you?" The girl asked.

Joe then chuckled. "Is that all? Sure, I'd be more than obliged to help." He said as he walked towards his door.

"R-Really? Thank you! I haven't had anything to eat in a while…" The girl said, following Joe inside.

He placed all he collected on his crafting bench, and got to more work.

He was making his furnace when he asked: "So, what's your name?"

"Uhm...My name's Cupa...what's yours?" The girl named "Cupa" replied and asked.

"My name's Joseph, but everyone calls me Joe. Nice to meet ya." He said as he placed his finished furnace next to his crafting table.

"N-Nice to meet you too…" Cupa replied.

"No need to be nervous. I'll make some bottles to get water for ya, and I'll get the meat cooking." Joe said as he loaded the furnace with coal, and began cooking his raw beef.

He then made glass bottles out of leftover glass, and started walking towards his door.

"Wanna come? It'll take a bit for the meat to cook." He said, outside his door.

"Sure!" Cupa accepted, then followed after Joe.

They walked outside t to the well Joe built his house next to, and started filling the bottles with water.

"So, where are you from?" Joe asked, filling bottles with Cupa.

"I don't know. I woke and found myself here, so I guess all my life. I can't think of anything before that." Cupa replied.

"Huh? Weird…" Joe said back, filling his last bottle.

"Well, I guess its the same for all creepers…" Cupa then said.

Joe froze in place. he turned his head towards Cupa.

"Er...Did you say...Creeper?" Joe asked, almost scared to death.

"Oh, well, I thought you would have that reaction! D-Don't worry, I'm not like the others, I won't hurt you." Cupa then said, slightly worried.

"T-True...If you were a normal one, you would have killed me by now…" Joe said, slightly feeling revived.

"So...You're not scared of me?" Cupa asked.

Joe then winced in guilt.

"W-Well...I was a bit, but now that I know...Its alright!" Joe said back, smiling.

"R-Really!?" Cupa exclaimed, looking at Joe.

"Y-Yeah. I'll trust you." Joe answered back.

"Thats the first time I've heard anyone say that! I'm so relieved…" Cupa said with a happy tone.

Joe then chuckled. "Well, if you're a creeper, then why do you look like a girl?" Joe asked.

"To be honest, I don't know. And as far as I'm concerned, I'm the only one who looks like this." Cupa replied.

"Weird...Well, We've got the water. Maybe that beef is done, right?" Joe asked.

"Yeah! I can't wait! I'm so hungry…" Cupa exclaimed, hugging her stomach.

Joe laughed a bit. "Well, don't want to keep it waiting then."

"No we don't~!" Cupa chirped, then followed Joe.

They went back into the house, the smell of cooked beef permeating their noses.

The smell made their mouths drool, as they approached the furnace.

Joe grabbed the steaks, and offered one to Cupa.

"Here, eat up." Joe said, offering the steak.

Cupa took the steak, holding it in her hands. "Thank you!" She said, as she sat down on the floor,and took a bite.

Joe then took a bite out of his steak, watching Cupa, leaning on his crafting table.

"Huh. Not bad." He said to himself, chewing on the steak.

He then offered a bottle of water to Cupa, who took it and took several gulps, nearly emptying the bottle.

"Wow, you weren't kidding…" Joe said, noticing how Cupa was eating.

"Well, when you're a creeper, the locals don't exactly trust you…" Cupa replied, with a mouthful.

"Heh, I can see why." Joe said, taking another bite.

After a while, They ended up eating all the steaks that Joe had.

"O-Oh, I'm sorry...You got all that food yourself." Cupa said, slightly guilty.

"Oh, don't worry about it. I can always get more." Joe said, patting Cupa's head.

He then noticed it was getting dark out.

"It's starting to get dark out. Should I walk you home?" Joe asked.

"Eh? Well…" Cupa started, slightly nervous.

"Consider it repayment for not killing me." Joe said, giving a thumbs-up.

Cupa remained quiet, then spoke. "Alright, thank you." She said, then stood up with Joe.

He pulled his sword from his chest, in case any Mobs come after them.

He placed the sword at his hip, with a sword loop he made of leather, and walked up to Cupa.

"Ready?" Joe asked.

"Y..Yeah…" Cupa replied, then followed Joe.

Cupa led the way, through trees and such, until they came across what looked like a small cave, but it looked very poor in terms of living conditions.

"We're here…" Cupa said.

"Huh? You live here?" Joe asked. He looked inside, and saw nothing but dirt and stone.

"Yeah, I've been here for a while…" Cupa replied, with a somber tone. "It's not the best, but it keeps me cool and warm...well, at least a little…"

Joe then looked at Cupa, and saw a bit of fear on her face.

He could feel her fear. Fear of not knowing if she would freeze to death while sleeping. He now knew why she seemed desperate.

"H-Hey, you know, if you want…" Joe started.

"Huh?" Cupa replied, curious.

Joe was a bit quiet, because he didn't exactly know what to say."..You could stay at my place for a bit...This doesn't seem like suitable living space. I could craft an extra bed for you."

Cupa was taken aback at his offer.

"You..You would let me?" she asked.

"Of course. I mean, I don't want you freezing or such out here. It wouldn't seem right." Joe finished.

Cupa was silent. She was very suprised at Joe's offer, but then smiled.

"Thank...You…" She murmured.

Joe placed his hand on Cupa's head.

"Not a problem. Always willing to help."

They then walked away from where Cupa's former home was, and started back towards joe's home.

They approached the home, when Cupa stopped.

"You alright?" Joe asked, noticing her.

"I just...feel like a burden…" Cupa replied, twiddling her fingers.

Joe sighed. He then offered his hand to Cupa.

"Don't worry. Come on in, Its getting dark out." Joe asked.

Cupa looked at his hand, and slowly took it.

Joe then lead Cupa inside his home. He went over to his crafting table, and used wool to make Cupa's bed.

He held it in his arms as he faced Cupa.

"Where you want it?" He asked.

"O-Oh, just over there, near the window...If you could…" Cupa replied, pointing at a spot next to one of Joe's windows.

He carried the bed over, and placed it, perfect to Cupa's liking.

"This ok?" He asked.

"Y-Yeah...Thank you…" Cupa quietly said.

"For the last time, no need to be so nervous. I feel obliged to help you, so calm down." Joe said, clearing dust from his hands.

"A-Alright…" Cupa replied, smiling.

Joe smiled back. "Well, you might want to get some sleep. Don't want you up all night." He said, as he made his own bed.

Cupa then found this an opportune moment, and walked up to Joe.

"Huh? Need anything?" Joe asked.

Cupa said nothing, as she pulled Joe into a tight embrace, wrapping her arms around Joe's side.

"H-Huh? Hey, what's wrong?" Joe said, a bit of red in his cheeks.

"Thank you…" Cupa said.

"Huh?"

"Thanks for taking me in...feeding me, giving me water, and a place to stay…" Cupa said, slightly nervous.

Joe was silent. He then hugged Cupa back, wrapping his arms around her head, resting his head on the top of her head.

"Is that all? Come now, I've already said this before." He said, noticing the sweet smell coming from her hair.

After a moment, Cupa then let go, then looked at Joe.

Joe looked back at her, noticing her cute face.

"You have to be my first human-friend…" She said.

Joe chuckled. "Well, you have to be my first Creeper friend, so I'm about as obliged to you as well."

Cupa went silent, then smiled.

Joe smiled back. "Well, lets get to bed. Its pretty late out" Joe said, picking up his bed.

"Alright...Good Night…" Cupa said, watching Joe carry his bed up his stairs.

"Night!" Joe said, eventually disapearing out of sight.

Cupa stood there a moment, then walked to her bed, and crawled in.

For the first time, she felt warm...cozy...safe…

She wrapped herself in the warm blanket, thinking of only one thing before she drifted to sleep.

_Thank you...Joe-kun…_

* * *

Meanwhile, Joe placed his bed where he slept last night, and plopped on it.

"Man, this is more comfy than I thought. No wonder Steve likes these beds." Joe said to himself as he layed back on the bed.

He laid there, lost in his thoughts."This is still all too crazy...A girl, who claims to be a creeper...Man, this is all to weird…" He said as he scratched his cheek. "Heh….Cupa's pretty cute too…" He said, before feeling tired himself. "I wonder what's gonna happen tomorrow…?" were the words he said as he eventually drifted to sleep himself.

But, outside his window, seemed to be a figure, staring at him through the window.

* * *

**And here, we meet the Creeper-Girl, Cupa! Joe has taken her him to keep her from facing the elements, and it seems shes developed a fondness for him. And we seem to have a new visitor coming in...Who will it be? Well, Tune in to find out.**

**I will see you all, in the next chapter.**


	4. The Seclusive Type

**Aaaaaand I'm back. I'm not really in much of a good mood, seeing I can't get the newest Kingdom Hearts game...Oh well, Guess I'll just have to wait on payday.**

**Alright, I'm done talking, so…**

**Enjoy**

* * *

The sun shined through the windows in Joe's house, and they gleamed onto Joe's face, waking him up. He sat up, and stretched himself, and felt refreshed.

"Man, that has to be the best sleep I've gotten in a while." He said, then looked around.

Yep. Still in Minecraft.

"Good. For a moment there, I felt like being here was all just a dream…" He said, standing up, stretching his legs.

He walked downstairs, and found Cupa's bed empty.

"I guess she went on her way after last night…" He said, with a somber tone.

In that moment, he heard a familiar voice.

"Good Morning!"

He turned around to see the orange-haired creeper over near his crafting bench, a bright smile on her face.

"Heh. for a second, I thought you left." Joe said to her, causing her to giggle.

"I thought I could help you with gathering today. Its only fair, since we nearly ate all your food yesterday…" Cupa said back.

Joe chuckled. "How could I say no?" He said as he went to his chest, gathering sticks and the cobblestone he mined the previous day.

He then made two pickaxes, two axes, and two shovels, give one of each to Cupa.

"Where do you think we should hit up first?" Cupa asked.

Joe thought to himself. "Not sure. Maybe we should explore a bit. Sound fun?"

"Yeah!" the creeper-girl chirped.

"Alright, I'll go to the village and see if I can trade for any food. We'll need something to eat while we're out." Joe said, then started out the door.

"What should I do?" Cupa asked, her pickaxe in her hand.

Joe sheathed his sword on his leather strap, and balanced his pickaxe over his shoulder, holding onto it.

"Dunno. Maybe you could think of something?" Joe replied.

"Maybe I could refill the water bottles?" Cupa offered.

Joe then smiled. "Great idea. We'll need something to drink while we're out as well."

Cupa then smiled back. "Okay! I'll be right back!" Cupa said, grabbing the empty bottles, then ran through the door, towards the well.

Joe then followed her outside, but went on the opposite side of his house. His house was between the village and the well, the well being on the left of it.

He started his way towards the village when something caught his eye.

"Huh?" he said as he went to the corner of his home.

There was a block missing, a part for the supports of his home.

Joe looked at the empty spot, confused. "How is there a block missing? Unless I never put one there. Oh well." He said as he grabbed used a block of raw wood to replace it.

He then turned around, but a sound made him jump.

The sound rang twice behind him. He turned back and noticed the block he placed as a replacement was gone.

"Uh.." He said, as he replaced the block again.

He turned around, but the same sound rang out again, making him turn around again.

The block was gone, again.

"Ok, what the hell's going on here?" Joe said, then placed another block. He then turned slowly, until the sound came again, in this time, he quickly turned around to see what happened in the act, but the block was still missing.

Joe started to get annoyed at this. "Screw it, I'll just deal with it later." He said as he turned around, and walked towards the village.

* * *

Much to his surprise, the villagers looked nothing like he expected them to look like. He expected them to look like old men, with big, discolored noses.

What he saw were women, all dressed in different clothes, all having different hairstyles, which he assumed they would determine their job in the village.

"Odd...Never expected this…" He said as he entered the village.

One of the villager women noticed him, and gasped in excitement.

"Ah! Its the visitor!" She exclaimed.

After the others heard her, they all turned their attention towards Joe, putting him in an awkward standing.

"Uh...Hello. My name Is Joe, would any of you happen to have anything I could buy or trade off of you?" He said nervously.

A villager with a purple robe, and two buns on her pigtails walked up to Joe.

"Of course we do, Visitor. Please, make yourself at home." She said, then beckoned Joe to follow her.

He followed suit, still receiving all the other villagers' stares. He noticed they were all whispering amongst themselves, most likely talking about him.

"I'm guessing you don't get much company here?" Joe asked, following the priest.

"Not really. Especially with ones such as you." The priest answered back.

"W-Well, if I'm a bother, I could just trade some materials and be on my way…" He said, scratching his head.

The priest then turned around.

"Not at all. You haven't done anything wrong yet, so we have trust in you. Visitors are always welcome here." she said, smiling.

This made Joe blush a bit in embarrassment, but it made him feel at rest.

After visiting the different types of villagers, he was able to trade for a few emeralds, some fish, and several cookies and sweets.

"Thank you all very much!" Joe said, carrying his new belongings, waving back at the villagers.

"Hurry back!" The priest said back at him, as all the villagers waved back.

* * *

"Alright, I've got some emeralds for trading, some food for later, and snacks for gathering. now all thats left is...huh?" he said, but noticed something outside of his house.

He looked closely and found what looked like another girl, with the same colored stockings as Cupa, but wearing a black sweater, along with a skirt, complete with stocking garters. He noticed her long, flowing brown hair, that reached all across her back. she also wore a black hat, with a flat top.

She was looking at the corner of the house that Joe had a problem with just a few moments ago.

Joe pondered the girl's intentions, and walked up to her, but tip-toed, trying not to alarm her.

He looked in curiosity at the girl, wondering what she was doing next to his home. In this moment, the girl took a block that was underneath the missing block, holding it in her hands.

Joe then walked up to her. "So, you're the one that was messing with me earlier." he said to her, causing her to jump.

She slowly turned around, showing her face. She looked extremely nervous, same as Cupa when Joe first met her.

Joe looked at her hat, and noticed it looked like a face, with purple eyes. He immediately froze when he realized who he was looking at.

He immediately turned around, facing away from the girl.

_Shitshitshitshitshitshitshitshit…._

"Uhm…" The girl croaked.

_Don't look or you'll die, don't look or you'll die, don't look or you'll die._

The girl then tugged on Joe's sleeve.

"I-Is Cupa-chan here?" she asked, quietly.

Joe jumped at this.

"Er….Cupa?" Joe asked.

"Y-Yeah, I was told she would be here…" the girl said, still acting very shyly.

"...You're not gonna kill me, are you?" Joe asked.

"E-Eh!? W-Why would you ask that?" the girl asked back.

Joe scratched his head.

"W-Well...you're an Enderman...er...Enderwoman…" Joe replied.

"I-I'm not going to hurt you, so just turn around." the girl asked.

"E-Er…"

"Go on already."

Joe then sighed, then turned around, facing the ender-girl.

He noticed her violet-colored eyes, and her turtle-neck sweater covering her mouth.

"Well...you're looking for Cupa, right?" Joe asked.

"Yes, I was told she was in this village…" the girl explained.

"Ah! Andr-chan!"

Joe and the ender-girl then looked back, and found Cupa, her arms full of water bottles.

"C-Cupa-chan!" the girl said, then jogged towards Cupa.

"You know each other?" Joe asked.

"Yeah! Andr-chans my best friend!" Cupa replied.

"Oh, so your name is Andr, huh? Funny now I think about it." Joe

"I-Is my name funny?" Andr asked, nervous.

"Er, no, not at all, I just realized its a play on the name and….Oh never mind…" Joe said, giving up.

Cupa then giggled, and Andr smiled.

"What brings you here, Andr?" Joe asked.

"E-Er, well...I came to find Cupa-chan, because I kinda need help…" she stuttered.

"What kind of help?" Cupa asked.

Andr remained silent.

"Andr-chan?" Cupa asked.

"I…I don't know my way…" Andr croaked.

"Huh?" Joe said.

"This is a whole new place to me...I don't know where to go…" Andr said, looking down.

"Really? Me too!" Cupa chirped.

"Eh?" Andr asked.

"Yeah, I've been here a few weeks, and I had to live in a cave...but then Joe came along. I followed him for a while, but then he caught me, and took me in…" Cupa explained.

"T-T-Took you in..? A-As in...you live with him?" Andr asked.

Cupa then looked at Joe.

"Er, uh, yeah, I guess you could say that…" Joe said, scratching his cheek.

"A-Ah, ok…" Andr said, her eyes fixated on the ground.

"Let me guess. You have nowhere to stay tonight, right?" Joe asked, smiling.

"E-Eh? W-What!?" Andr exclaimed, surprised.

Cupa giggled. "He saw right through you."

Andr looked back and forth between Cupa and Joe, then sighed.

"You got me…" she murmured.

Joe then chuckled. "Well, that settles it. Cupa, you get Andr comfortable here, I'll go gather for us."

"Huh? Do you not want any help?" Cupa asked.

"I'll be fine. Besides, It looks like its about to rain soon. And I know ender-people don't like water." Joe said, walking into his home, with the girls following after.

He dropped his food items in the furnace for the girls, as he walked out with only his stone tools.

"Will you be alright?" Andr asked.

"I've been here for two days now, I'll be fine. I made a house, and I'm now supporting two others. I think I'll be fine." Joe said, giving a thumbs up.

"Alright. Be safe!" Cupa said, waving to Joe

Joe then waved back, then left out the door.

* * *

He walked for what seemed hours, as he finally found a cave. Luckily, he made some torches to light his way before he came. He found a whole plethora of iron and coal, gaining about one stack on iron and two of coal.

He then decided to take a break as he took a swig of his water bottle, sitting on a block of stone.

"Its a lot more work than I thought...It was much easier with a mouse and keyboard…" He said, grasping his water bottle.

He looked around, the dimly lit cavern, hearing the rain pour outside. He then went into his bag and pulled out one of the cookies he got from the villagers.

He took a bite out of it and noticed the taste.

"Freshly baked. Not like the processed crap we have at home…" Joe said to himself.

The word "home" struck his mind.

_Home...I wonder what's going on back home...I'm pretty sure I'm fired from work, and My family's worried sick…_

He sighed, then finished his cookie. He pulled his bag over one shoulder, and threw his pickaxe over his other.

He then heard a crack.

_Crack...Shit, don't tell me…_

In that moment, something flew past Joe, barely hitting him, as it stuck on a wall of cobblestone.

"Shit!" Joe said, as he got down into cover, away from the skeleton's range. "Dammit, I need to think….alright, after he shoots an arrow, he has a period where he's vulnerable, because he needs to restring another arrow...that can be my chance…" he said to himself, hoping the skeleton didn't hear him.

He then realized.

He was in a life or death situation for the first time in his life, and he was calm and collected about it. He felt the adrenaline pumping in him, as he gripped his sword.

He paid attention to the next arrow shooting, as it zoomed over him, and stick the ground. He then quickly vaulted over the block he was hiding in and dashed to the skeleton, as it was preparing another arrow. He managed to catch it, and struck it with his sword, causing it to fall apart.

He felt proud over his new found courage, and felt exasperated about it.

"And Dad said playing ninja wouldn't help out." Joe chuckled, as he picked up the skeletons bones, its bow, and a few arrows.

He continued down the cave, and could see dim light, coming from lava. He pondered whether to go further or not, but seeing he had two mouths to feed tonight, he then started to head back. On the way back, he came across some sheep, which he used his sword to take their wool, rather than killing them, seeing he had to make a bed for Andr as well.

He killed a few cows and pigs for meat and leather, and got eggs and feathers from chickens.

Looking at the eggs, he decided to try and make a cake or pie to treat the girls. he found another herd of cows and milked them. He stored the milk in bottles, rather than a bucket, since he still needed iron ingots, but he only had the ore.

Either way, he leaved the cows alone to their grazing, and continued back home. The storm grew worse, as he started to get drenched in rain. his materials were nice and dry in his bag, but he himself was drenched.

"Man, I'm cold…." He said, shivering. "At least I'm almost home…"

He trudged his steps as he approached his home. He looked through the windows and saw Cupa and Andr talking and laughing among themselves. Cupa seemed to be blushing, and twiddling her fingers, and Andr seemed she was giggling.

While he was walking up, he noticed Cupa see he was there, and smiled brightly. Andr looked at Joe, and made a slight smile.

He walked through his door, with the girls welcoming him immediately.

"Oh, Joe-kun, you're drenched! You must be freezing!" Cupa said, in a worried tone.

"Trust me, where I'm from, we call these Sundays…" Joe joked as he placed his bag on the crafting table.

"Do you need anything?" Andr asked, worried as well.

"Well, I would, but because you're and Enderwoman, I don't want to hurt you." Joe said, taking off his sweater. "Man, I wish I had another set of clothing…" he said, wringing out his sweater.

He then went to the furnace and pulled out three fully cooked steaks, and three bottles of water, handing one of each to the girls.

"Thank you!" Cupa said as she started on the steak.

Joe then offered one to Andr, who seemed confused.

"Want one? You must be starving." Joe said.

"Well…" Andr said.

"Go on, take it." Joe said, slightly waving the steak.

She was silent, then took the steak. She looked at Joe and Cupa eating theirs, then took a bite out of hers. She smiled as she chewed on her food.

A few moments pass, as everyone is full and relaxed, but Joe was shivering from being cold, because he was still partially wet. Andr was the first to notice this.

"We should get a fire going, all we have for warmth are these torches, but they don't provide much…" Andr said.

"I found plenty of iron, but I don't have any flint…" Joe said, going through his bag.

In that moment, Andr pulled out a piece of flint, and offered it to Joe. "I found this. Maybe this could help."

"Wow, Andr-chan, just in time!" Cupa said, causing Andr to blush.

"I'll say. Great job." Joe said, taking the flint, causing his hand to brush hers.

She blushed profusely at this, as she stared at the ground.

Joe then made a fireplace out of cobblestone, and placed a piece of wood to serve as logs as he got the fire started, illuminating the living room area.

Joe then started shivering, his body still cold from the rain. He felt something cover him, which was the blanket from Cupa's bed.

It enveloped him in warmth, but he felt something on his back, and wind around his neck. He looked behind and noticed Cupa was hugging him from behind.

"Nice and warm?" she asked as she dug her face in the side of Joe's neck.

"Y-Yeah, T-thanks…" Joe said, shaking, hiding the fact he was as red as a beet.

Cupa giggled. "You worked hard today. You deserve a break." she said, resting her head on his shoulder.

Andr seemed to keep to herself, watching the fire crackle and pop.

"Andr-chan?" Cupa asked.

"Y-Yeah?" Andr said back.

"Don't you think Joe-kun's front is cold as well?" Cupa asked.

In this moment, Andr immediately went red, and flailed a bit in embarrassment

"O-Oh, it's fine, I'll be alright, I've dealt with worse." Joe said, crossing his arms to warm his arms.

Andr could see how cold he was, and she took in the fact that is he gave her a place to stay, and that if he didn't help out, she would be in grave danger because of the rain.

She was a shy girl, she couldn't approach anyone, no one but Cupa...Her emotions clashed with each other as she watched Joe shiver.

"How can you not be warm? Do I need to hug tighter?" Cupa asked, as she tightened her grip on Joe.

Andr heard this, and then finally had her emotions in check. She then walked and stopped in front of Joe.

"A-Andr?" Joe asked, still shivering.

Andr then took a deep breath, then sat in Joe's lap, pressing her back against his chest and stomach.

This took Joe by surprise, as he turned redder than a cherry, and squirmed a bit.

"U-Uh, Y-You don't have to do this, I mean, I just met you, and I don't want you to feel like you need to do anything you don't want to, because I-" Joe explained spastically, but was interrupted by Andr poking his cheek.

"Y-You're keeping me from rain, feeding me, a-and giving me a place to stay. This is the least I can do to repay back." Andr said, facing Joe.

Joe then gave a defeated sigh, as Andr wrapped his arms around her waist, warming his arms.

This caught him by surprise, but he didn't want to annoy Andr by resisting.

He was just hoping he wouldn't get aroused. He smelt a lavender-esque scent coming from Andr's hair.

After a few moments, Joe felt more and more drowsy as time went on.

"Are you ok?" Cupa asked.

"Y-Yeah, just a bit tired…" Joe replied, rubbing his eyes.

"Well, you've had a rough day. Maybe you should get some sleep." Andr murmured.

"I...Guess…" Joe said, before immediately passing out, sitting up.

"Uhm..Joe-kun?" Andr asked, poking Joe's cheek.

"He's dead asleep…" Cupa noticed, poking his head.

"W-Well...what should we do?" Andr asked.

Cupa then adjusted her arms around Joe's neck, making her comfortable.

"I think...I'm gonna stay like this…" Cupa said, before closing her eyes, and eventually falling asleep herself.

Andr thought for a moment, with Joe's arms around her side. She felt warm, and safe… she didn't quite know what to think.

She then turned herself to where Joe was on her side, and she leaned against Joe for support, as she wrapped herself in the blanket.

She snuggled her head into Joe's chest, though extremely embarrassing, she found a comfortable spot, and then closed her eyes, drifting to sleep herself

It was in that moment, that everyone was sleeping peacefully, not a care in the world.

* * *

**Well, It would seem that the Ender-Girl Andr is now part of the small family we have here. Though, there's still much work to do, or else they won't get by at all.**

**What will happen? Tune in to find out!**

**I will see you, in the next chapter.**


	5. A Strange Woman

**And I make this right after another.**

**Alright, I hope you can please…**

**Enjoy.**

* * *

Moments pass, as Joe was the first to awaken. He realized that he had slept, even when he still had work to do. He needed to make food, along with much, much more to do.

He stood up, making sure not to awake the girls, as he cracked his neck, back, and then knuckles.

He first made a third bed, for Andr to sleep in. He carefully used a squid ink sac to color the blanket black, because he assumed it was a prefered color of hers. He placed it near Cupa's bed, so they could talk while they were in bed.

He then picked up Cupa, carrying her bridal-style, and tucked her in her bed. He did the same for Andr, and left her hat on the bed post.

He then went back to the crafting table and furnace, and smelted all the iron ore he had found, and spent what seemed like hours making equipment, armor, and two buckets.

He then made a hoe so he could get started on farming, to get some wheat growing.

He then walked outside and dug spots for an irrigation system. He then used the hoe to till land and planted wheat seeds in the soft soil. He walked over to the well and filled both buckets with water to fill the holes he dug. he got enough water to where the water spots were flat and even, letting the dirt blocks with the tilled soil soak up the water, causing said irrigation system.

"Alright, just wait a while, and we'll get some wheat. Maybe then I'll get some bread, and even a cake going, since I do have milk...Good god, I talk to myself a lot when I play games…" he said to himself, wiping the sweat off his forehead.

He saw the sun starting to rise over the hills past the village, which told him the time perfectly.

"Man...I need a shower...:" He said as he noticed the sweat on his arm. "Well, theres no showers, but I can definitely still wash myself with water…" He said as he noticed a nearby lake.

He decided to try and make a water towel out of wool, which somehow worked, as he made his way towards the lake.

He approached a good side of the lake he could sit on, but was also deep enough to swim in. He looked around, to make sure that no one else was around as he undressed himself, leaving him bare naked.

Much to his surprise, the water in the lake was warm, as he jumped right in, and swam near the shore and leaned against the block connecting to the land.

"Oh~?" I didn't know someone else was here!" came a voice.

Joe looked up and noticed a woman, who looked awfully familiar to a villager, but she had violet-colored eyes, and she only had a towel on, covering her breasts and lower region. She had a hand on her cheek, as she had an interested look on her face.

Joe then immediately covered his own privates as he turned around away from the woman.

"S-Sorry! I'll get out immediately!" Joe said as he turned around, but soon saw that the woman was in front of her, stark naked.

"What's your name, cutie?" the woman asked.

"W-Why do you need to know!?" Joe yelled, still covering himself.

"I'm curious~!" The woman answered, getting closer.

"Could we do while we have clothes on!?" Joe asked back.

Joe noticed that she wasn't covering herself, as to his point of view, her breasts were exposed in front of him.

"I-I gotta go!" Joe yelled, slipping our out of the water, sprinting back home.

Joe managed to dry himself and and put on his clothes outside his home, when he then entered, seeing that the girls were still sleeping.

He made a sigh of relief.

"Well, I should get back to work…" Joe said as he went upstairs.

* * *

Hours later, Andr was awoken by the sun in her face, as she looks around and sees the midnight black blanket she's covered in, and her hat on the bed post.

She then stood up, stretched and walked over to Cupa, who was practically snoring in her bed.

"Hey, Cupa-chan, Hey!" Andr whispered.

"H-Huh? What? Oh, Hey. Morning Andr-chan!" Cupa said.

"Q-Quiet! I don't know if Joe-kun is sleeping or not…" Andr said.

In that moment, a bang on the floor upstairs, following by what sounded like Joe yelled "Shit!" rang out.

"No, I think hes up. How long has he been up?" Cupa asked.

Andr then looked outside and saw his farm outside.

"Looks like all night…" Andr replied.

Cupa ighed. "He needs a day off, he doesn't need to work this much…"

"Yeah, He needs to relax, or else he's gonna work himself to death…" Andr said.

Cupa then nodded, then got out of bed.

They both went upstairs to see Joe pacing back and forth with a piece of paper in his hand, which were his inventory he jotted down and a list of next plans to craft.

"Er...Joe-kun?" Cupa said.

Joe looked over to the girls. "Oh, Morning. I got milk, bread, and eggs downstairs, you two can make them while I do this, I need to get this stuff down now, or else I'll never get it done, I can't afford to-"

"Hey! Listen to us!" Cupa yelled out, interrupting Joe.

Joe froze in place, looking at Cupa.

"Look now, we can obviously see the bags in your eyes. Now, you're going to take a day off today. You have enough materials to get by for a bit, you don't need to go exploring, you're just going to take a day to relax, alright?" Cupa demanded.

Joe was silent, lost in his thoughts.

"Well….I guess…" Joe said, stuffing the paper in his pocket.

"Now, please go to sleep, Joe-kun, we'll handle what we can." Andr said to Joe.

"Sleep...right…"Joe said, staggering across the room.

Cupa then walked to Joe and supported him, keeping him from falling.

"I...Just want to do all this…" Joe said, leaning on Cupa.

"We know, just come on into bed." Cupa said, sitting him on his bed.

"I just want to...to take care of you two…" Joe said, moments before he finally fell asleep.

Cupa and Andr were surprised as what he said, as they looked at each other. They then both smiled.

"Cuz...you two are important to me…" Joe said in his sleep.

The two girls then both smiled, while blushing pink, as they both gave a quick kiss on the forehead on Joe, then walked downstairs, leaving Joe in peaceful slumber.

* * *

Hours pass, as Joe is still sleeping in his bed, snoring a little.

Cupa then came up the stairs to check up on him, which she walked over to him, standing over his sleeping self.

"At least you can relax now...You've done so much for us, its time for a rest for you…" Cupa said as she sat next to Joe in his bed. She looked over Joe's sleeping face, and couldn't help but smile.

_He looks so cute when he's sleeping…_

She started playing with his dirty blonde bangs, twirling his hair between her fingers.

She wasn't wearing her gloves, because she wanted to feel Joe without her gloves on.

His hair was long, but wasn't conditioned enough. But, there wasn't exactly hair conditioner in Minecraft, so you can't really blame him.

She grazed her hand against Joe's face, feeling his skin and facial hair. He had no beard, but he definitely had hair on his chin.

She cupped her hand against his cheek, staring at his lips. She then stood up and leaned over Joe, her face over his.

She inched her face closer to his face, her face getting redder and redder as she went further. She was mere centimeters away from full-on kissing him, when she hesitated. She pulled away from Joe, trying to collect her thoughts. she took a few steps back, then turned around.

"Rest well, Joe-kun…" she said to herself, then walked down the stairs.

* * *

Another hour passed, as Joe has finally awoken to the setting sun shining in his eyes.

He stands up and stretches himself, popping his joints and bone in several places.

He walked downstairs to see that a dinner table was made, with Cupa and Andr making food in the furnace.

"Did...Did I make that?" Joe asked, pointing at the table.

"O-Oh! You woke up too early!" Andr exclaimed.

"S-Sorry, I didn't know how much I had to sleep…"

"Well, Dinner is almost done. Go wash your hands outside and and come back in and take a seat." Cupa said, smiling.

"O-Oh, Ok then." Joe said, as he walked out the front door.

He walked towards the nearest natural water source he knew, which was the lake he was at just a few hours ago.

Joe sighed.

_Hope that woman isn't still there…_

He then started his way until he reached the shore. He knelt over and washed his hands and face in the water, looking at his reflection.

"Why, Hello there!" came a voice.

He looked behind him, to see the same woman he met before, but fully clothed. And by clothed, she had a dress that covered only the lower part of her chest, just covering her breasts, and her forearms only as well. The sides of her hips and legs were exposed as well. She also wore a hat with a wide rim and pointed tip, with a green jewel on her hat.

He jumped in his place, sitting down, backing away from the woman.

"Y-You again…" Joe said.

"Hey, hey, calm down, no need to be nervous~" The woman said, as she walked closer.

Joe crawled away further, until the woman then crouched over, then which he closed his eyes, preparing himself for whatever, when the woman said:

"You dropped this."

Joe opened his eyes, and saw a bottle of blue liquid in a bottle. He knew it wasn't water, but it was something.

"Er….No, I never dropped anything…" Joe replied.

The woman offered the bottle. "Yeah you did. You dropped it when you ran screaming this morning."

Joe then remembered what happened, and blushed profusely.

"W-Well...If you say so…" He said as he took the bottle.

"Alright. I just wanted to return that." The woman said, then stood up, and walked away.

Joe watched her walk away, then looked at the strange bottle.

He then stood up and looked at it more. "Is it a potion of some kind? or a poison? Its definitely

not water…

In that moment, in the direction of his home, he heard a voice rang out.

"Joe-kuuuuun! Dinners ready!"

He knew It was Cupa that said that yelled for him, as he slipped the bottle in his pocket and started on his way.

* * *

He came home to the smell of steak filling the air in the house, and looked at the table. The table had steaks on glass plates, and bottles of milk.

He took his seat, and waited for Cupa to join the table, since Andr was already at the table.

Cupa was extinguishing the furnace to save the coal when she joined the others.

"Well? Eat up!" Cupa said to Joe.

Joe looked confused. He looked and saw Andr staring at him as well.

He took his steak, and took a bite out of it. He immediately noticed a difference about it.

"Wow! This is great! You two put anything in the steaks?" He said with a mouthful.

"Yeah, we found some spices growing outside while you were sleeping, and added them with the steak." Andr replied.

"Both of you?" Joe asked.

"Yep!" Cupa chirped.

"Well, this is great! I'm impressed!" Joe said as he swallowed and took another bite.

Cupa smiled while blushing, while Andr blushed, looking away.

A few moments pass, as Dinner was finished, and nightfall came.

Joe was twiddling with some things on his crafting table, when he felt something poke him.

He turned around, and noticed it was Andr. She was still awake, as Cupa passed out not too long ago.

"Need anything?" Joe asked.

"Er, yeah...Could…" She started.

"Hm?" Joe asked.

"Could...could...could…" Andr stuttered.

"Could what?" Joe said, turning around, facing Andr.

Andr was silent, then she spoke.

"Could...you come with me and Cupa-chan for a walk tomorrow? You slept all day today, and we never really have done anything yet as friends…" Andr somehow managed to say.

Joe smiled, then patted Andr's head.

"Sure. I could use a little break. I've been working since I first arrived here, and I don't want to worry you two." Joe said, rubbing her head.

She began to blush profusely, but she enjoyed the feeling.

"Alright...Well, you should get some sleep then. We've got a big day tomorrow." Joe said as he cleared his table, placing everything in the chest.

"Y-Yeah...b-but…" Andr started.

"Yeah?" Joe said, clearing dust off his hands.

"Could….Could you tuck me in again?" Andr asked, squirming in embarrassment.

Joe made a goofy smile. "Sure, not a problem."

Andr lead Joe to her bed, as she crawled in. Joe then grabbed the blanket, draping the blanket over her shoulders.

Joe then rubbed her head softly. "Night, Andr."

"Night, Joe-kun…" Andr whispered as she closed her eyes, falling to sleep.

He chuckled.

_How cute…_

He then looked over at Cupa, who was shivering in her bed. She fell asleep without covering herself up, so she didn't have her blanket covering her.

He sighed, then covered Cupa up, who immediately stopped shivering, and smiled profusely, cuddling with the blanket in her sleep.

He then rubbed Cupa's head. "Night, Cupa." He said, then started for upstairs.

He walked up the stairs, and walked towards his bed.

He sat down on his bed, and pulled out the bottle that the woman gave him.

"The hell is in this thing? There's no way this is water…" He said to himself.

He then placed the bottle on his nightstand, and crawled into his own bed himself.

He laid in his bed, staring at the roof, lost in his thoughts.

_Man….This is all still just too crazy…._

He then turned in his bed, and put out the torch, making the only light the moonlight shining through the window.

"A walk huh...sounds fun...:" Joe said, as he drifted off to sleep himself.

* * *

**It is currently 6:01 AM as I'm typing this. I hope you can enjoy my stories as much as I enjoy writing them.**

**Well, we see that Andr has developed a soft spot for our hero, and who was that strange woman? What's in that bottle? What will happen next? Well, Tune in to find out!**

**I will see you, in the next Chapter.**


	6. A Day Off

**Hello everyone, My Name is Mr. Uberdood, and this is part six of Strange New World!**

**...I've been watching too much Markiplier…**

**Anyway, now that I'm done messing around…**

**Enjoy.**

* * *

Darkness.

Darkness was all he could see.

Joe stood in what looked like a void of darkness. Himself being the only light he could see.

"Well, never had this kind of dream before…" Joe said, conscious that he was dreaming.

"Hello Mortal."

Joe then grew silent.

"Who are you?" He asked.

"You don't shiver at my voice?"

"With all due respect, the only time I've been shivering was when I was cold. I'll repeat. Who are you?" he said, sternly.

"You should know who I am. You are continuing to amaze be, plebeian."

Joe was then silent, thinking.

"...I thought you were a myth." He said.

"Do I sound like one to you right now?"

Joe chuckled. "Well, a creeper and ender-woman are able to speak, and not try to kill me like others. I'm all up for surprises by now."

"Do not compare me to those, mortal."

"Why don't you show yourself, instead of trying to scare me like a coward?" Joe called out.

There was silence.

"Until next time."

* * *

Joe jolted awake, as he saw that Cupa and Andr were next to his bed, looking at him.

"I thought you'd never wake up!" Cupa said, crossing her arms.

Joe smiled guiltily. "Sorry, had a weird dream."

"Must have been an interesting dream…" Andr said, cocking her head.

Cupa then leaned over towards Joe.

"Anyway, you said you would take the day off and join us for a walk." Cupa said.

"Walk, right. When should we be going? Joe asked, stepping out of bed.

"We were hoping soon…" Andr asked.

Joe chuckled again. "Alright. Did you guys want me to make some food for a picnic?" He said, stretching.

Cupa smiled. "Don't worry, we already did. We don't want you doing anything having to do with work today."

Joe was taken aback. "Well then, I guess just wait for me to get ready." He said as he went towards his clothes pile.

The girls then hopped downstairs to give Joe privacy, as he put on his clothes. He looked over at the bottle on his nightstand, and held it in his hands.

"I never dropped this…" He said, popping the cork.

He inhaled a scent of the potion, and it made him nearly gag.

"Hoo...Man, that's rank…" He said, before replacing the cork, and placing it on his nightstand.

He then walked downstairs, to see the girls holding bags.

"Just what did you two make while I was asleep?" Joe asked, putting on his shoes.

"Its a surprise~!" Cupa teased, as she went out the door, Andr following after.

Joe shrugged this off, and followed after.

* * *

Everyone was walking along the land, with Cupa skipping ahead, with Andr struggling to keep up.

"Do you want me to carry that for you?" Joe asked Andr.

Andr then shook her head. "No, You won't be carrying anything today. You're just going to relax today." Andr said, adjusting her grip.

Joe then sighed in defeat, and walked behind Andr.

They walked for what seemed like miles, but Joe paid no attention to the distance. He was more occupied at what seemed like beauty to him.

The atmosphere and ambience with the visuals of the forest they were walking through, with the slight warm breeze made Joe feel at peace.

They walked for a few moments more, when they reached a lake.

"We're here!" Cupa exclaimed.

Joe surveyed the land as the two girls set up the picnic.

Next to a shore of the lake, with a perfect view of a side of a mountain, the sunlight reflecting off the lake just perfectly.

"Wow, you two picked a great spot." Joe said, admiring the view.

He then heard the two giggle, as he felt a tug on his sleeve.

He looked and saw Andr pulling on his sleeve.

"We're done." She said, with a blanket behind her, with Cupa sitting down on it.

Joe then chuckled, then walked over to the blanket. He sat down with Cupa to his right, facing the mountain, taking in the view.

He saw Andr sit to the opposite of Cupa next to him out of the corner of his eye.

Cupa then went into the bag and pulled out three bottles of a red liquid.

She gave two to Joe, him giving one to Andr.

They all popped their corks, as Andr and Cupa took a drink in unison.

Joe looked at the bottle, and, faced Cupa.

"What's this?" He asked.

"Try it!" Cupa said back.

He then looked back to the bottle, and took a swig of the liquid.

It had a sweet taste to it, making him more curious.

"We made a tea from flowers we found this morning. What do you think?" Andr asked.

"It tastes good. Who got the flowers?" Joe asked, taking another drink.

"I did. I know a little botany, and knew which flowers would be good." Andr replied, smiling.

"Wow, great job!" Joe said, rubbing Andr's head. She then blushed, looking a bit shy with his words.

Cupa crossed his arms. "Hmph. Well, I brewed the tea." Cupa said, trying to show off.

Joe then rubbed her head. "Good job to you too, Cupa" Joe said, making Cupa turn pink, content with her compliment.

She then went to her bag, and pulled out several food items, all prepared by the girls. Joe noticed this, and hoped they would taste great like the steak he had last night.

They had prepared more bottles of tea, cooked pork chops, bread, soup, apples, and cookies.

Joe felt his mouth water when he saw Cupa dividing the food, giving Andr and Joe each a plate of food, and a bowl of soup.

Joe took a bite of the pork chop, and was amazed again. A flavorful, tangy taste was what he tasted from the porkchop.

He took a drink of the soup, and noticed a bitter, yet satisfying taste from the soup.

Judging by the color of the soup, it seemed to be mushroom soup. He normally hated mushrooms, but the taste of the soup kept him enticed.

The girls noticed how much he loved the food, and looked at eachother, smiling and nodding.

They then both scooted closer to Joe, making their knees touch his. Joe was too enticed in his food and the view to properly notice.

They were enjoying their food, with the contact with Joe seeming like an added benefit for them.

They all ate until all their food was gone, leaving them all full and satisfied.

Joe laid back, laying on the blanket, facing the sky. He had a comfortable spot, a nice warm ray shining on him, and a full stomach. You could say he was happy.

Cupa and Andr then both laid back, facing the sky as well.

Cupa looked over at Joe, and scooted closer to him. She then wrapped her arms around his right arm, and cuddled with it.

This took Joe by surprise, as he looked at Cupa.

"H-Hey, what's up?" He asked, nervously.

"Oh, nothing. It's just comfy!" She said, cuddling his Joe's arm.

Joe turned a bit pink, as he then felt Andr do the same thing to his other arm.

"Y-You too?" He asked Andr.

"It's comfy…" She replied, as she hugged his arm as well.

Joe then sighed, and then shrugged off the girl's cuddling from his mind. Though, he did enjoy the feeling of his arms being cuddled.

A few moments pass, as they were all talking among themselves. They told each other jokes, stories, and opinions. Soon after, Andr then fell asleep, with Joe's arm in bundled in her own arms.

He managed to slip his arm out, as he sat up, and popped his neck.

Cupa was still awake, as she kept her grip on his arm.

She then adjusted herself to where she was laying her head on Joe's chest, while leaning on him laying between his legs.

"Er, Cupa?" He said, confused and embarrased.

"Wow, its a really pretty view…" Cupa said, relaxing herself against Joe.

Joe then sighed, then looked over the lake, and smiled. "Yeah, it is…"

Cupa then looked at her hands, and slowly moved her hand over on top of Joe's holding his hand.

They kept like this for a while, as they both enjoyed the view.

Cupa then spoke out.

"H-Hey, Joe-kun…"

"Yeah?"

"Uhm...what do you think of me and Andr-chan?

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"W-Well...What's your opinion on us?"

Joe then scratched his chin.

"Well, you two are very considerate girls. You two are kind, compassionate, and a pleasant to be with." Joe said, smiling.

Cupa blushed, and twiddled her fingers.

"W-Well…" she said, squirming in embarrassment.

"Hm?" Joe hummed.

Cupa then sat up, and faced Joe. She leaned towards him, looking at her with big, gleaming eyes.

"What...do you think of me?" She asked.

Joe was surprised at her question.

"U-Uh...Er…" Joe said, knowing that he would not be able to avoid the question. "W-Well...Your kind, cute, and a joy to be with...You make my time here seem so fun and comforting…" Joe said, smiling nervously.

Cupa then went silent, smiling a little as well.

"Do…" She stuttered.

"Cupa?"

Cupa was silent. "Do...Do you think you would….like me?" She asked, practically shaking in nervousness.

Joe then turned red in his cheeks. "W-Well, you're a good friend, and a great person, so yeah….I like you" Joe said, smiling.

Cupa then looked down, red as a beet.

"M...M-Maybe...Even more...than that?" she asked, fidgeting in place.

"H-Huh?" Joe asked, confused.

In that moment, Cupa then cupped her hand on Joe's cheek, staring at his face.

"C-Cupa? Is everything alright?" Joe asked, feeling Cupa's warm, soft hand on his cheek.

He then noticed her close her eyes, as she moved her face closer.

"C-Cupa…" Joe said, as he could only watch, as her face was coming in closer and closer.

"Joe….kun…" she whispered as she was mere inches away from his face.

When their lips were about to meet, Andr made a groan of waking up, and in that moment, Cupa hopped out of Joe's lap, and on the blanket.

Andr sat up, rubbing her eyes, eventually seeing the two.

"O-Oh, I'm sorry, I've seemed to have fallen asleep…" Andr said.

"O-Oh, no worry about it. we had a long walk here." Joe said, chuckling.

"A-ah, ok…" Andr said, looking down.

Joe and Cupa then looked at eachother, them away from each other, both red as cherries.

_If Andr-chan hadn't woke up, I would have… _Cupa thought, as she shook her head in embarrassment.

Joe scratched his head.

_We almost… _Joe thought, looking at the ground.

"Well...Maybe we should get back…" Cupa said, looking down.

"Yeah, it's starting to get dark out…" Andr said in return.

Joe then stood up. "Yeah, don't want anything after us. Who knows what crawls in the dark…" he said.

Cupa then stood up along with Joe, Andr following after, as they all packed up their bags, and left for home.

On the way, Cupa led front again, while Joe hanged back, both of them shocked, and embarrassed.

* * *

They eventually reached home, the sky being pitch black.

They all went inside, with a tense atmosphere hanging in the air.

Cupa went immediately to her bed and crawled in, facing away from Joe and Andr.

Joe then spoke out. "I'm...gonna go get some water…: He said, then walked out the door again.

Andr then stood there, Cupa keeping to herself. She then walked outside as well.

Joe walked over to the well, and washed his face with water.

"Certainly was not expecting that…" He said to himself.

He then heard steps on grass, and turned around, seeing Andr.

"O-Oh, hey Andr. Need anything?" Joe asked, drying his face.

Andr looked down, then back to Joe.

"C-Care to take a small walk with me?" She asked.

Joe was surprised as her question. "Er..Sure. Lead the way."

Andr then walked ahead, with Joe following after.

It struck him as no surprise, but even at nighttime, the world seemed calm and serene to him, Sure, they were in darkness, which ran the threat of monsters, but the two didn't seem to care.

Andr then spoke. "Calm outside, isn't it?"

"Yeah, it is…" Joe replied.

They were in a dense forest, when Andr then stopped.

"Andr? You alright?" Joe asked.

She then turned around, looking at Joe.

"Could...Could I ask something of you?" She asked, squirming.

"W-Well, of course. What do you need?" Joe asked.

"W-Well…" Andr started.

Joe could see she was nervous, as he chuckled to himself.

She then finished her sentence. "Could….you...give me..a..hug?" she asked, stuttering her words.

Joe was rather surprised, at this request. Andr was mostly too shy to even talk to him, let alone ask for contact.

"W-What's with this sudden question?" he asked.

Andr then looked down. "C-Cupa's normally with us, and I see how she's all over you...I never really get any time with you alone…" she replied.

Joe then scratched his cheek. "Well...You just want a hug?" Joe asked.

Andr nodded, still looking down.

Joe then chuckled, then walked over to Andr. He then extended his arms, offering an embrace.

Andr looked up, and saw Joe's offer. She then stepped closer, still unsure what to do.

Joe took action, as he pulled Andr into and embrace, burying her head in his chest.

Andr was surprised as first, but then wrapped her arms around Joe's waist.

They stood that way for a few moments, as Andr spoke.

"It feels….nice…" Andr said, closing her eyes.

Joe then chuckled. He kept Andr in his arms for a few moments, then releasing her.

He stared at Joe, with the same face that Cupa had.

"A-Andr?" Joe asked.

"Do you think you could...do another thing for me?" Andr asked.

Joe then froze in place, but he nodded.

"C-Could….Could you...K...K...Ki-" She started, but was interrupted by Joe placing his hand on her head.

"Dork." He said, making her look at him with confusion. "No need to push yourself."

Andr then looked at the ground.

Joe then rubbed her head, smiling.

"Come on, lets get home. Never know if a Zombie will creep up on us." Joe said, offering his hand.

Andr then nodded, then slowly took Joe's hand, as they then started on their way home.

She kept to herself with her thoughts as she looked at Joe.

_Home...It feels….nice..._

* * *

**And there you have it. I decided to make a chapter focusing on the romance aspect of this fic, while leaving more about exploration and action. What can I say? I'm a shoujo lover at heart.**

**Anyway, now that I'm done, I will see you in the next chapter.**


	7. Unbreakable Bond

**Hello Everyone, I've managed to squeeze this chapter in sooner than I hoped, I've been a bit busy with Kingdom Hearts 2.5, so you can understand my distraction. **

**Enjoy.**

* * *

Joe was bright and early the next day, going down the stairs to see Andr and Cupa still sleeping.

He smiled to himself, then went to his chest. He pulled out the rest of his iron ingots, making more equipment and armor, because he was about to go back to work today.

He readied himself and got everything he needed. He then realized something.

He should get some food for the girls while he was away.

He then put down his gear, grabbed some items that he could possibly trade with, and set out the door, making sure not to waken the girls.

He walked over to the village, which he was greeted with a warm welcome, as the blacksmith saw him first.

"Yo! Joe! Think you could help me out here?" She called back.

Joe noticed this, and walked over. "Sure. Whatdya need?"

She then looked over to her furnace. "I need some help with iron smelting, but my furnace is busted. Think you could help out by doing it the old fashioned way?" she asked.

"As in, incase it with something, and submerge it in lava?" he asked, staring at the lava pool.

":Yeah. Do that, I'll give ya something in return." she replied.

Joe then looked at his surroundings. "Alright, I'm game." He said, as he picked up and put on the blacksmith's special heat-proof gloves.

Little did he know, practically the entire village was outside the blacksmith;'s building, watching him work.

He used a Cobblestone container to house iron ore, as he dipped it in the lava, and let it sit. In the meantime, he worked on previously smelted ingots, but they had to be strengthened, since they weren't smelted in a furnace. He never fully grasped the idea of blacksmithing, but he did with what he had.

He pounded the iron ingot, turning it into a blade. He shaped it the best he could,then dipped it in water, cooling the metal. After a few moments of repeated heating, pounding, and cooling, the blade was ready for use, but after a quick sharpening.

The blacksmith herself was amazed at Joe's work, as she watched closely as well.

He used a special stone to sharpen the blade, and made a few touches here and there to finalize the sword.

After a quick polishing, he held the sword in front of him.

"Not bad for a first-timer, eh?" He said as he turned around, and was surprised to see the entire village in front of him, staring at him and the sword.

He then turned his attention to the container in the lava, and used large clampers to grab it. He used a hole in the container and poured the melted iron into a mold, making an iron ingot.

He wiped the sweat from his brow as the villagers watching him, including the blacksmith, applauded him.

"What is with the sword you made? It's unlike anything I've seen before!" She said.

"U-Uhm well, its kinda basic actually.." he said, scratching his head.

The entirety of the crowd watching focused their attention on the blade Joe was holding.

He gave it to the blacksmith.

"Here. This was made with your materials." He said, handing the sword over.

The blacksmith's hands were trembling as she took the sword. "O-Oh, T-Thanks…" she stuttered.

"Was that all you needed?" Joe asked.

"Y-Yes, That's all…" the blacksmith replied. She then went over to her wooden chest and pulled out an object.

She held it in front of Joe, which were two emeralds.

"Two Emeralds? Wow, thanks!" Joe said ecstatically, then took the emeralds and placing them in his pockets.

"N-Not a problem…" The blacksmith said, her face a tad pink.

Joe then nodded, and then proceeded to stop by at the different buildings around town, looking for work or someone to trade with.

He walked to the library, and asked to browse the shelves.

"By all means, go on ahead." the librarian replied, and returned to her work.

Joe looked through the books and found names to books he never heard of before. They were Minecraft books, so what can you expect?

He browsed around, until he heard the librarian moaning in worry. He turned around and saw that she was struggling with a large stack of books. He then hurried over and took half the stack.

"O-Oh, thank you…" The librarian thanked.

"Where you want them?" Joe asked.

"Over there, by the chair." The librarian replied.

Joe carried the books over to a counter by the chair she pointed at.

He then watched as the librarian struggled to keep her stack of books balanced.

In that moment, the librarian then stepped wrong, causing her to trip.

Joe then practically dived towards her and caught her before she hit the ground.

"You alright?" Joe asked.

The librarian was silent, as they were in a position where her face was really close to Joe's.

"Y-Y-Yes, I'm f-fine…" she replied.

Joe lifted her to her feet, brushing dust off her shoulder.

"Close one, huh?" He said, smiling.

"Y-Yes…" the librarian replied, looking at the floor.

Joe then offerd to pick up the fallen books, when one caught his eye.

"'Lost Legends'?" Joe asked, as he picked up the books.

"Y-Yes, its a book about various legends that go around this world. It has records of a variety number of folklore and myths, but it was all said to be false." The librarian replied.

"Myths, huh?" He asked, and remembered his dream the previous night. He then looked at the book.

"Mind if I borrow this?" Joe asked.

"O-Oh, by all means. As long as you return it." The librarian replied.

Joe chuckled. "Promise." He said, as he helped with the rest of the fallen books.

After a few hours, he walked from the village with four emeralds, a variety of colored stones, a book, and some raw pork chops.

He waved back at the village, who all in return waved back to him. He looked at the stones, and got an idea.

"Yeah, that would be good to do. I just hope I can make it right...:" He said as he kept walking.

He was at his front door, when he looked through the window and found the two girls sitting in their beds, both looking at the floor. They didn't seem to even be talking.

It was only when he walked through the doors did he notice the expression on the girls brighten when they saw Joe walk in.

The two immediately ran up to him.

"Where were you? You weren't in your bed when we woke up…" Cupa asked.

"I was in the village, trading and working." Joe replied.

Cupa then crossed her arms. "You could have at least told us before you left…" She said, looking away.

Joe then rubbed her head. "You know, you can tell me if you miss me" he said, smiling.

He looked over to Andr. "Anything happen while I was gone?" He asked.

"No, nothing really. Nothing really happens when you're not here…" she replied.

Joe then smiled. "Well, I think I can go gathering tomorrow. I already did plenty of work today, so I'm free for the rest of the day. Anything you two want to do?" He asked.

The girls' expressions then shot up brightly, as they both smiled.

"W-Well, we never really expected anything like this…" Andr replied.

"Yeah, we need time to think…" Cupa said back.

Joe chuckled. "Alright, in the meantime, I'll be doing some work upstairs." Joe said, then walked upstairs.

He looked back, walking up the stairs, as he saw the two girls hopping in excitement. He couldn't help but smile in happiness for the two girls.

He walked over and sat on his bed, as he pulled out the book he borrowed from the library.

He opened it, and went through the different subjects. He stopped at one, which was he thought the one he was looking for the read about.

"The Forsaken One.." He read out loud.

He then heard what sounded like giggling downstairs, as he read on.

He read as followed:

_The Forsaken One, or so locals call "Herobrine", has been a subject of discussion and beliefs ever since this world was created._

_It would seem that everyone fears this one, as it gives the locals a series of uncircumstanciating events, supposed to signal he was near or around._

_First, was a sense of paranoia, as apparent victims would be walking through the woods, feeling that they are not alone, even no local fauna present._

_Second, were a series of signs. They say he would leave "shrines", made of gold, a material from another dimension, and a torch._

_We have yet to understand the interdimensional material he leaves, as it disappears whenever he was present._

_Third and last, he would approach victims, making them catch him within the glimpse of their eyes, causing curiosity._

_Victims would follow, until they were completely isolated. This would then be an opportune moment for him to strike._

_We do not fully know of the ways he disposes of victims, as only a few claim to see this entity._

_One said he attempted to throw him in lava, but with what would be telekinesis. Another said he attempted to murder him with a sword or one with an axe._

_Not much is known about his entity, only gathering information from locals. We look forward to giving more informations in more recent editions._

Joe then closed the book after reading the article.

"So. He's real after all…" Joe said to himself. He laid in his bed.

"Son of a bitch. I thought he was fake. A myth. And here I am, thinking about a dream I had with him." He said to himself.

He sighed. "I just hope he won't go after anyone besides from me." he said, thinking about the girls.

And in a speak-of-the-devil moment, he heard a voice.

"Joe-kun! We're ready!"

He then shot out of his bed, and then went downstairs to see the two girls standing at the start of the stairs.

"So. What do you two have in mind?" he asked.

The two girls then pointed towards the fireplace, but Joe noticed something new.

There was a couch in front of the fireplace.

Joe was surprised. "You two made that?" He asked.

"It didn't take much time at all. We used some leftover resources you had to make it." Andr replied.

Joe laughed.

The two girls stood there, confused.

"You two are just getting more impressive each day." He said, chuckling.

The two girls then blushed profusely, as Joe went over to the couch.

He examined the couch closely. Not the best-looking, but he was impressed. He took a seat, and found he nearly sunk in it, he was so comfortable.

"How do ya like it?" Cupa asked.

Joe was so comfortable to make regular English, but what they could here was:

"Holy...Wow…"

The girls then giggled, while Joe was enjoying himself.

His mind then jumped.

"Oh! Uh, Wait here. I'll be right back." He said as the girls were sitting down with him.

He pulled out some items from his chest, went to his crafting table, and got to work

He was working for about three hours, as he saw the sun setting in the distance.

"Almost done…" he said, working with something on his table.

Another half hour passed, as he finally finished his work. The girls thankfully sat patiently, waiting for him to finish.

He then grabbed what he finished, and walked over.

"Hey, sorry about that, I got a little held up…" He said, with a guilty look.

The girls then smiled, as they invited him to the couch. He sat down, keeping his work hidden, with Andr to his left, and Cupa to his right.

"What did you make?" Andr asked.

"A little thing for all of us…" Joe teased.

Cupa then leaned on Joe. "Come on, tell us!"

Joe then chuckled, then asked for Andr's hand first.

He put something in her hand, but she couldn't see it yet.

She opened her hand to see what looked like a thin star, made with a purple stone, lined with iron engravings, which were based on a blue jewel, also lined with iron. It had a tiny strap in order to tie it to something.

She looked in saw at the beauty of the trinket, as Joe gave one to Cupa, expect instead of purple, Cupa had a green one.

"It's so pretty!" Cupa said, looking at the trinket.

Joe smiled. "Glad you like them." He said.

"What are they? I've never seen jewelry like this…" Andr asked.

Joe then held out his own trinket, which had dark blue stones instead of purple and green, and looked at it.

"I call them Wayfinders." He said.

"'Wayfinders'?" Cupa asked.

_I probably shouldn't tell them they are from my world, from another game...I based them more off the Kingdom Hearts: Birth By Sleep Wayfinders, but I guess its the best I could do..._He thought to himself.

He then scratched his head, remembering a line from the game.

"Somewhere, there's this tree with star-shaped fruit. Eating it together with someone means that they will be with you for the rest of their lives. Be it friends, or lovers, a connection is made…" He said, bull-shitting the line.

"Connection?" Cupa asked, cocking her head.

Joe then held up his Wayfinder, making the light from the fire shine in the stones, making a dark blue glow.

The girls then proceed to do the same, and were just as surprised as Joe.

"An unbreakable bond." Joe said, as the girls held their Wayfinders against his.

Everyone then laughed, and enjoyed the warmth.

"You two like the gifts?" Joe asked.

"Oh, they're so pretty!" Cupa said, as she then tied hers to her sweater.

Joe looked over at Andr, who tied hers to the strap of her skirt. He smiled at the girls' affection for the trinkets.

"And you?" He asked Andr.

"I love it...its so pretty, and I feel it reflects me…" she said, looking at her Wayfinder.

Joe then smiled, and rubbed Andr's head. "Glad ya like it" He said.

Andr went a bit pink, as he looked at the fire.

Joe then stood up, and ran upstairs to his bed, and pulled the blanket.

"Good thing I made my blanket thick and large…" He said, folding his blanket.

He then walked downstairs, and saw the girls comparing each other's Wayfinders.

He chuckled, as he approached the two girls on the couch, who looked back and noticed the blanket in his arms.

"Anyone cold?" He asked, then unfolded the blanket, enveloping the girls.

He then went over to his chest, pulled out some bottles, and put them in the furnace.

He made what looked like mugs out of wood and leftover precious stones, each one made with each of his and the girls respective colors.

He then picked up the hot bottle of liquid, and poured it in each mug. He took the mugs, and gave one each cup of liquid to each girl, each with their respective colors.

"This should warm us as well." Joe chuckled.

The girls each tasted the liquid, and found it was the tea they made, but it was heated up.

"I figured it would be good cold or hot, and it seems I'm right." joe said, sipping his tea.

"Thanks, it tastes great!" Cupa said.

"Yes, it's very calming...:" Andr said.

"Glad to hear." Joe said, then sat on the couch, joining the girls in tea, and wrapping himself in the blanket.

They all felt very relaxed and very warm with the tea, the blanket, and the fire.

As time went on, Joe noticed the girls were both leaning on him. He then felt, at the same time, the two girls wrapped their arms around his arms.

He was a bit surprised, but he felt he shouldn't dare move his arms, because he then felt steady breathing patterns from each girl.

"They're both asleep…" Joe whispered to himself.

He then felt tired himself, as the fire crackled and snapped.

"How is that fire still going..." He wondered to himself. He understood it was Minecraft, but he still questioned some things.

He sunk in the couch, and then relaxed his head, making it lean on Andr's head, which was leaning on his left shoulder, and held onto Cupa's hand under the covers.

He could only think of the current scene he was in right now. Warm, full, and happy. He held tighter on Cupa's hand.

He then looked over at his hand-made Wayfinder in his lap.

"An unbreakable bond…" He said, before he slowly drifted to sleep.

* * *

**I thought the part with the Wayfinders would be cute. Don't blame me, I'm still playing 2.5, and I played Birth by Sleep again for the first time in a while. If my description wasnt good enough, just imagine the Birth by Sleep Wayfinders, but in each of the my characters' respective colors.**

**I thank you for your time, and I will see you in the next chapter.**


	8. Eight-Legged Cuties

**Man, the new game has been keeping me really busy lately...I feel kinda bad that it kinda keeps me from working on this...Well, thankfully I squeezed this in.**

**Enjoy**

* * *

It was a bright, sunny day the next day, not a cloud in the sky.

Joe awoken, with the girls still asleep, still cuddling with him, as he looked out to the window, with the sun shining brightly.

"Maybe just a few more minutes…" Joe said, as he closed his eyes and drifted back to sleep.

A few moments pass, as Cupa wakes up, and feels something on her hand. She felt it, and found it was Joe's hand on hers.

She didn't know whether to feel happy, or embarrassed, as she turned red in a second flat.

Out of spite, she rubbed her thumb along the top of his hand, and felt happy and content.

_I can feel the firmness in his hand…_ She thought as she rubbed his hand.

She then crossed her fingers with Joe's, who in his sleep, grabbed held tighter onto Cupa's hand, with his fingers between hers.

Cupa jumped a bit, but then couldn't help but smile, as she leaned back on Joe's shoulder and drifted back to sleep.

After a few moments, it was Andr's turn to wake up, as she felt Joe's head on hers. She felt she shouldn't dare move her head. She thought for a second, and somehow slipped her hat off, feeling Joe's face on her head.

She ran her hand down Joe's arm until she reached his hand, and held his hand the same as Cupa did, crossing fingers.

Her hand felt warm, as Joe then held Andr's hand tighter as well.

She couldn't help but feel happy, as she enjoyed the attention. She snuggled her head underneath Joe's head until she was comfortable. She then gave Joe a quick kiss on the cheek, then went back to sleep.

* * *

Hours pass, as Joe then woke up to find himself sprawled on the couch, alone. He pondered this, as he stood up and stretched.

He then realized he had a note stuck to his chest. He took it off, and read it as such:

_We went out to gather stuff for you. Will be back shortly._

_Cupa and Andr_

Joe then sighed. "At least they left something. Maybe I should go to work as well." He said to himself, as he pulled a piece of paper himself, and wrote:

_Went out gathering. I'll be back before sundown._

_Joe_

He left the note on the table, as he picked up tools, water, some food, and other equipment.

He practiced a bit with his sword and pickaxe, then holstered them as he walked out the door.

He walked out into the wilderness, hoping to find a cave, because he didn't feel like digging blindly in the ground himself.

"Thats how you fall into lava…" He said to himself, as he walked.

He walked for a few moments, and noticed a hole in a side of a mountain. He looked inside, and saw a tunnel of stone that led into darkness.

"Perfect…" He said to himself. He didn't know whether to be happy, or terrified. He luckily carried a few stacks of torches, which he used to light his way through the dark tunnel.

He found more coal and iron as he went, and found it went even deeper.

As he spelunked even further, he heard groans of zombies and cracks of skeletons, prompting him to unsheathe his sword.

He heard the groans and cracks come closer, as he hid himself behind some blocks of stone.

He looked over the top, and could see three zombies and two skeletons walking by.

_Play it quiet Joe, This doesn't look good…_

He stayed in place until he couldn't hear the groans anymore. He presumed they were gone, so he stepped out.

In the moment he stepped, something snapped and made a very loud noise.

He looked down to see he dropped and stepped on a stick he made.

_SHIT!_

He looked over and noticed that the crowd of monsters heard the noise and could clearly see him, as they then came towards him.

A skeleton shot an arrow, sticking to a nearby wall, just barely missing him.

This was his signal to start running, as he ran blindly into darkness, hoping to lose the monsters.

He couldn't see anything, and this caused him to run into a wall, slightly disorienting him, as he could barely see the monsters closing in on him.

He pulled out his sword and readied himself for battle, as a zombie was mere feet away from him.

The zombie lunged after him, but with a quick swipe, he cut off the zombie's head.

The second zombie came towards him, as he jumped forward and plunged the sword straight into the zombie's skull, causing it to limp from death. He pulled his sword out, and then stabbed the third zombie, impaling it, and used it as a shield from the skeleton's arrows.

He noticed the zombie was still alive, as it clawed and scratched his arms and torso.

"Son of a bitch!" He screamed, as he swung the sword, still in the zombie's body, tearing through the zombie's body, killing it instantly.

He then grabbed his bow, pulled out an arrow from the zombie's body, and shot it at the skeleton, piercing it's head, killing it before it hit the ground.

He noticed the second skeleton drawing an arrow. He couldn't react in time, as the skeleton shot the arrow. It barely missed him again, but it grazed his arm.

This enraged Joe, as he sprinted up to the skeleton, and swung as hard as he could, slicing the skeleton in half cleanly.

After the dust settled, he was gasping for air. He looked at the wound on his arm, and noticed it was bleeding rather badly.

"Man, that's not good…" He noticed, as he took some spare wool and made a bandage with it.

He wrapped it around tightly, but noticed the blood was bleeding through the bandage, and rather fast, almost turning the bandage completely crimson red.

"Well, I'm sure I can treat this more properly once I get home…" He said to himself as he walked on.

He went deeper and deeper, as he noticed more rare ores were in reach, but some over lava.

He found redstone, lapis lazuli, and more coal and iron. He sighed.

"Just when am I going to hit diamonds?" He asked himself, ignoring the pain from his wound.

He continued on, and noticed his pickaxe was damaged, with chinks in the blade and such.

"Don't think it will hold out for long...Luckily I brought more." He said, as he swung the pickaxe over his shoulder, and walked on.

He felt very dizzy. He knew the cause, as he looked at the blood-soaked bandage on his arm.

"L-Losing a lot of blood…" He stuttered, trying to keep his footing.

He felt like he was about to pass out, but he kept himself awake by slapping himself.

He kept walking, as he noticed a distinctive glow.

He then knew what it was, as he looked upon the light-blue ore just a few feet away.

"Sweet Jesus, finally!" He said as he limped towards the ore. "Man, the girls are going to let me have it when I get home…" he said, as he swung the pickaxe upon the ore.

The ore crumbled, showing the light-blue jewel that anyone could recognize.

He saw that there were more around it, as he broke those apartas well. He ended up finding five diamonds from the vein, as he celebrated it, by yelled.

"WOOOOOHOOHOOHOOOO!" He screamed, raising his arms in the air.

He nearly fell over at that moment, as he was weak already.

He felt proud, as he continued on his way back. This is where he could barely move straight, as he stumbled across the ground.

"Shit...lost too much blood…" he said, as he saw his bandage completely soaked in blood.

He walked on, and on, feeling as if he was lost.

"Not good...can't see straight…Maybe I should….have brought armor..." He said, his eyesight starting to leave him.

He stumbled until he hit a wall, and leaned on it.

"I guess I...could rest a bit…" He said, as he slumped onto the ground, leaning against the wall.

He could barely see the torch in front of him, as he dropped his head. He closed his eyes for a few seconds.

"I...don't think...I'll make it…" He said to himself, his mind going to Cupa and Andr.

"Sorry girls...I don't think I'll be home tonight…" He said weakly.

He then opened his eyes to see two figures in front of him. He could not see clearly see who they are, but he managed to speak out.

"H-Help...me…" he said, looking at the figures.

The figures looked at each other, as Joe could barely make out some words from them.

"Bring….Back….Live." Were the words he could make out.

All he then felt was his strength leave him, as he felt his consciousness leave him.

* * *

Darkness.

Darkness was all he could see.

Joe looked down, and found he was sitting on darkness.

"So….Am I dead, or what?" He asked himself.

_Unfortunately, no._

Joe was silent.

"...You again." he said.

_You don't seem pleased._

"Why would I be? You're infamous."

_Hehe. It seems my infamy perceives me._

"You feel proud or something?"

_I have no need for pride, mortal. Only fear._

"Fear?"

_Yes. The fear from tortured players keeps me going. My legacy shall live on._

Joe chuckled. "Sounds pretty cowardly to me."

_No one speaks like that to me, human._

"Well, where's your power when one doesn't fear you?"

There was then silence.

_Until next time mortal. You seem to be waking up._

"Huh? The hell are you talking about?" Joe said, as he heard other voices.

_Hey, are you alright?_

"Huh? H-Hey! Where are you?" Joe said, standing up.

_Wake up already!_

Joe then noticed the darkness that surrounded him, turning into white light.

The light was almost blinding, as he closed his eyes.

* * *

Joe then opened his eyes, looking at a stone ceiling. He was laying down on something soft, and to his surprise, it was a bed, and he was covered by a blanket.

"Finally, you woke up!" came a voice.

He looked over and noticed a girl with her arms crossed.

She looked about thirteen-fourteen, in terms of height and appearance, with purple hair, with two small ponytails tied with two red beads, one larger that the other one. He noticed her crimson red eyes, looking at him.

She wore a dark teal sweatshirt, with stripes on the sleeves, with a skirt that was the same color, but darker.

"I thought you were dead for sure." she said.

Joe was surprised at this. He remembered passing out from blood loss, then he woke up in a bed, in front of a girl. He felt something constricting him, as he realized they were bandages, which were around his arms, head, and chest.

He sat up and looked around.

"Where….Am I?" He asked, looking to his surroundings.

He looked and found he was in what seemed to be a dug-out shelter, with the floor, ceiling, and walls made of stone. He saw torches around the room, giving light around, along with his sword and other tools, on the ground.

"Here." The girl said, offering him a loaf of bread.

Joe stared at the bread, not knowing what to do.

The girl then made an annoyed face. "If you won't eat it, then I will!" she threatened.

This made Joe jump, as he slowly took the bread.

"T-Thanks…" He said, taking a bite of the bread.

The girl watched him eat, as he spoke.

"I-Is there something wrong?" he asked.

The girl remained silent.

"You know, you're lucky we found you. You would've died if we hadn't spotted you." the girl said, her arms crossed.

Joe was confused.

"We?" he asked.

In that moment, the door slammed open to another girl, who screamed, "I'm Hooooome!"

Joe and the girl near him both jumped, nearly making Joe fall out of his bed, as he felt his wounds sting in pain.

"What did I say about doing that!?" the girl near Joe screamed at the girl near the door.

He watched as the two girls were then talking among each other, as he looked at the girl who bursted through the door.

She looked very similar to the girl that he woke up to, except she was a bit taller, and looking about the same age as Andr. Her hair was longer, with a large ponytail, with the same two beads, but they were a hair-band instead.

She wore clothes similar the the first girl, but they were in accents of grey and a darker grey. She also wore leggings that went all the way up to her skirt.

He looked at the first girl scolding and yelling at the second one, while the second just scratched her head, smiling.

She then looked over to Joe.

"Ah! Our guest is awake!" she said.

Joe then waved. "H-Hello...Were you the two figures I saw before I passed out?"

"Yep! We saved your life!" she girl in grey said.

Joe then scratched his head.

"T-Thanks...I would have died if you two hadn't helped me…" Joe said.

The girl in teal then crossed her arms.

"Well, we couldn't leave you to die." she said.

Joe then smiled. "Thank you…"

The girl in grey then walked up to him.

"What's your name, anyways?" she asked.

"Er, uh….I'm Joe...and yours?" Joe asked.

"I'm Natalie, but you can call me Lily" The girl in grey said.

Joe nodded. "Well, Lily, I thank you and…?" he asked, looking over to the girl in teal.

"Nia." the girl replied.

Joe nodded again. "Alright, Lily and Nia, thank you both for caring for me. I owe you two…" Joe said, smiling.

"W-We just didn't want your body rotting in the cave…" Nia said, looking away. Joe could see a bit of pink on her cheeks.

Lily then leaned forward towards Joe.

"Don't worry, she doesn't mean that." she whispered to Joe.

Joe then chuckled as Nia looked at Lily, annoyed.

Joe then tried to stand up, but he felt his wounds sting again, as he sat down again.

"No standing now. We need to let those wounds heal. Then we will let you on your way." Lily said, her hands on her hips.

Joe then chuckled. "Alright, I guess I can spare some time." He said.

Nia then closed the door, and sat down in what looked like a chair, made of cobblestone. It didn't look comfortable, but it seemed she didn't mind.

Lily then sat on the bed.

"We noticed you were walking towards the exit of the cave, then you fell over." She said.

"O-Oh….well, I was dizzy...I had lost a lot of blood…" Joe said.

"I'll say. That bandage you made was soaked!" Lily exclaimed.

"Yeah….Thank you for the extra bandage. I would have bled out…" Joe said, smiling guiltily.

"Don't thank me, Nia here's the one who patched you up!" Lily said, pointing at Nia with her thumb.

"O-Only because he would have died!" Nia yelled, her face red as a beet.

Lily leaned over to Joe again, her hand covering her mouth from Nia.

"She made sure to be extra careful with ya. She wouldn't let me touch ya!" She said.

In that moment, a book came flying, and hit Lily in the back of the head. Joe looked over and noticed that Nia was the one that threw the book. She had an annoyed look on her face.

"Because you would have made it worse!" she yelled back.

Joe couldn't help but laugh to himself as the girls were arguing.

"Alright you two, enough arguing. I appreciate the fact you two cared for me. I'm thankful." Joe said.

He then saw Lily grin, and Nia go pink, but she still had her annoyed face.

"Dont worry, we'll care of ya until you're on your feet again!" Lily exclaimed. "Even if Nia may have a bit of a crush on ya."

Nia then went red, and her face turned into an expression of anger, as she yelled at Lily, with Lily teasing back.

Joe then sighed, but he was smiling.

_I hope Cupa and Andr are alright. I've been gone for a while… _He thought, watching the two girls argue.

* * *

About a half hour passed, as Joe was now able to stand, but not fully. He could stand, but he had trouble keeping his balance.

Nia had been the one to support him to keep his balance, as they made their way towards the bed. She sat him down, as he sighed in exhaustion.

"Getting a bit better…" He said, smiling at Nia.

Nia went pink, and flicked his forehead. "Don't push yourself." she said.

Joe couldn't help but chuckle, rubbing his forehead. Though, he couldn't stop looking into Her red eyes.

And thats when something flashed inside his mind, as he realized something.

The colors, the red eyes, red beads, the size differences, and similarities between them...He could only say one thing.

"H-Hey, would you two by any chance be Spiders?" He asked.

Nia scoffed. "You just figured it out?" she asked.

"W-Well.." Joe said, scratching his head.

"Don't worry. We won't hurt ya, we're not like the rest." Lily explained.

Joe sighed. "Well, its not the first time I've seen something like this…

"If we were regular spiders, we would've eaten you by now." Nia said.

Joe then chuckled. "Thanks for helping me out. Even though you just met me…" Joe said.

Lily then interjected. "Actually, we've seen you before."

Joe cocked his head in confusion.

"We've seen you enter this cave before. During that heavy rainstorm a few days ago." Nia explained.

"Oh? Oh, that right. I guess I forgot I've been to this cave already…" Joe said, scratching his head.

"Yeah. Nia couldn't get ya out of her mind!" Lily said, but was met with another book to the face.

"We saw you fight that skeleton, and we tried going to you to help, but you had already left." Nia explained.

Joe then remembered the fight he had with the skeleton. "Oh yeah...the bastard…" Joe said, laughing a bit.

"Just be happy Ria didn't find you before you did. She would've probably shot you on sight." Nia said, checking Joe's bandages.

"Er...Ria?" Joe asked.

"Oh, you'll meet her maybe. She's a good friend of mine!" Lily said, smiling.

Joe was confused, but he shrugged it off.

More time passed, as Nia had to change Joe's bandages a second time. He was slowly able to walk around, and move freely.

"How do ya feel?" Lily asked.

"I feel good. A bit sore, but it will wear off." Joe said, giving a thumbs up.

"Good to see!" Lily said back.

"Think you could make it back home?" Nia asked, a tiny bit of worry in her face.

"Oh yeah, I definitely can. Thank you very much, Nia" He said as he bowed to Nia.

She went a bit pink, and waved her hand. "N-No need. I-I just didn't want your corpse stinking up the cave…" she stuttered.

Joe then turned to Lily. "Thank you for having me over" he said as he bowed to her as well.

Lily smiled. "Glad to be of help." she said, as she grabbed Joe's equipment, and gave it back to him.

Joe then put on his equipment according to his liking, as he then looked back to the girls.

"If theres anything I can do to repay you two, I'll be sure to do so." Joe offered.

"Won't be needed!" Lily said back.

Joe was slightly confused as Lily's answer.

It was in that moment, that Nia pulled out a familiar looking jewel from her pocket.

"W-We'll take this as payment." she said.

Joe recognized the jewel, and looked through his pockets.

"Crap…" he said to himself.

"Well, you might want to get going home. its already morning." Lily said.

Joe jumped.

"M-Morning!? You mean I've been here all night!?" Joe yelled.

"You were sleeping for a while. We wondered if you were dead, you slept for so long." Nia said.

"S-Shit! I-I've gotta get going! Thank you for the care!" Joe yelled as he ran out the door, running through the cave.

Meanwhile, Lily and Nia were sitting, both silent.

"So. Still got that crush on him?" Lily asked.

Nia went red, as her expression turned to annoyance.

"S-Shut up…"

* * *

Joe sprinted back in the direction he came from, running past all the trees.

He ran up to his house, and looked through the windows. He saw Cupa and Andr snug in their beds, but they didn't look like they slept well.

_Poor girls...they must have been worried sick about me…_ He thought as he reached for the door.

In that moment, something flashed in his mind.

_Thieves must pay._

He remembered the exact reason he was here in the first place.

He reached in his pocket, and pulled out his four remaining diamonds.

He sighed.

"Damn my guilt…" he said, as he then turned and headed towards the village.

He walked into the village, to see many of the villagers at work, giving him warm welcomes.

He walked over to the blacksmith, who was suprised to see him.

"O-Oh, hey. Need to trade?" she asked.

Joe simply shook his head, and pulled out three diamonds.

"Here." He said, offering the diamonds.

The blacksmith was surprised at Joe's action.

"H-Huh? Do you want to trade these for something?" she asked.

"N-No, Its alright. Here, just take them. Consider them a debt repaid." Joe said, still offering the diamonds.

It didn't take much time for nearly the entire village to hear what was going on, as they surrounded the entrance to the blacksmith, just like the previous day.

The blacksmith was still surprised, as she took the three diamonds from Joe.

"T-Thank you…Though, I don't know about any debt..." She said, with a bit of red on her cheeks.

Joe then nodded. He turned around to the crowd, who were all staring at him.

"I'm sorry." He said, bowing. He straightened himself, then started walking.

The blacksmith was dumbfounded at what just happened, as the villagers flooded inside to see the diamonds.

He had walked until he reached his house. He pulled out his one, last remaining diamond, and sighed.

_Well...at least I don't need to feel any guilt..._He thought then opened his door.

When he entered, the saw Andr and Cupa wake up and see him, only to have their faces filled to the brim with joy, as they both ran towards him.

"Joe-kun~!" they both yelled, with tears in their eyes, as they both tackled Joe.

Cupa noticed his bandages.

"H-Hey, what happened to you? You were gone all day and night!" Cupa said, about to cry.

"We were worried sick!" Andr said, but with a louder tone than she usually talked in.

He couldn't help but smile, and hug the two girls.

"Thanks for worrying about me…" he said as he held the two closely.

The girls then immediately hugged him back, both sobbing from worry and happiness.

He rubbed their heads, and smiled.

_Thank you too, Lily and Nia…_

* * *

Meanwhile, back at the cave, Lily and Nia were among their own business.

"You think he might come back?" Nia asked.

"You would hope for that, wouldn't ya?" Lily replied, grinning.

Nia was about to throw her book at Lily again, when they both heard a knock at the door.

They both went to the door, as Nia opened the door. They saw no one, but a tiny box on the ground.

Nia picked up the box, and opened it. She found two familiar star-shaped charms, one colored teal, and one colored grey.

There was also a note that read:

_Hope you two like these. Hope I got the colors right._

_Joe_

Nia picked up the teal one, and was fascinated at it's beauty. Lily picked up the grey one, and was in awe at the trinket.

"Wow! These are so pretty!" Lily said, looking at her Wayfinder.

Nia looked at hers, and turned a bit red. She cracked a smile, as she held hers close to her heart. She then looked up.

_Thank you...Joe.._

* * *

**Whew...Man Its late. It is about six thirty in the morning, I pulled an all-nighter for this. I try to make a chapter a day, because I've been getting a lot of positive reviews in this, and I don't want to make you guys wait. You're like family to me, so you guys matter.**

**Alright, with outro aside, I will see you guys, in the next chapter.**


	9. Fearful Premonition

**Hey guys, I need to say something. It has come to my knowledge, that some parts are a bit confusing with my story. I honestly understand you 100% and I will try and tweak it to the best of my abilities.**

**I hope you all enjoy.**

* * *

Joe was starting to feel a bit annoyed at these dreams he was having.

"Darkness everywhere, and 'Zerobrine' is going to talk and try and intimidate me. Isn't that right?" Joe said, sitting down, criss-cross.

_No._

Joe jumped a tad bit. The voice was much different than before. The last one, to him, sounded just a deep voice, as if it was trying hard to intimidate him. This one was much more raspy and deep, and it made him shudder at first.

"H-Hey, what's with the new voice?" Joe asked.

_Oh? What's with the sudden shiver? Got cold feet? Hehehe…_

Joe shuddered at the voice. The voice was much more intimidating to him.

"W-What's with you tonight?" Joe asked, almost stuttering.

_Ah, I should explain myself. Its much much more freaky when you think about it. You see, the voice you heard before? That was a body-double of mine. I use them to torment people in my stead, because, I don't wish to deal with mortals and plebeians myself._

"B-Body-double, eh?" Joe stuttered.

_I can see that the real me has you shivering. Where was all that bravery the past few days, huh?_

Joe was silent.

"_Zerobrine". I should kill you myself right now, but I have a good sense of humor, so I'll let you off for now._

"W-What made you want to deal with me yourself?" Joe asked, keeping his shaking hand down.

_Oh? Isn't it obvious?_

"W-What?" Joe asked.

_It is time for you to taste real fear._

"H-Huh? What does that mean!?" Joe yelled, as he stood up, yelling into the darkness.

The voice said nothing more, as Joe suddenly felt light headed.

His lightheadedness then turned into a searing pain, as he collapsed, grasping on his head. He laid on the floor, writhing in pain.

"It feels like...My heads gonna...crack open!" He managed to say, still enduring the intense pain.

When he opened his eyes, his pain suddenly stopped, and he saw that he was in the middle of the first floor in his home.

He looked around, and saw everything in place..

"H-huh...Just a dream…" He said to himself as he picked himself up.

He then rubbed his temple. "But...How did I end up downstairs?" He asked himself, looking around again. He then realized he was alone. No Andr or Cupa in sight.

"W-Where did they go?" He asked, noticing nothing from them. Their beds were still there, but it was as if they never came to him. "They would have left a note…" He said, scratching his head.

In that moment, he heard a knock from his front door. He walked over, and opened the door.

The sight was terrifying to him, and it made his heart drop and the blood leave his face.

He saw Cupa, but she appeared in a terrifying sense.

She was beaten, covered with bruises, and nearly covered in blood, judging from the cuts she had all over her body.

What got to Joe was the fact her eyes were as if they were ripped out of their sockets, with what was left of her eyes and mouth making streams of blood running down her face.

Joe was frozen in fear, shaking profusely.

"C-C-Cupa?" He asked, terrified beyond belief.

The mangled Cupa then made a sinister smile.

"What's the matter, Joe-kun?" Cupa said in a raspy, and extremely eerie voice.

"W-W-What h-happened to you!?" Joe yelled.

Cupa then looked at herself.

"Oh….this? What about it?" She said, her hollowed-out eyes staring at Joe.

"W-What about it!? Y-You're all beaten up! What happened to your eyes!? What-" Joe yelled, but was interrupted by a loud and eerie cackle made my Cupa.

She then stepped towards him, slowly.

"Well…" She started, slowly walking towards him.

Joe was absolutely terrified, frozen from fear. All he could do was watch as Cupa walked towards him.

"...This happened, when you didn't keep your promise…" She said.

"W-What?" Joe said, shivering.

Cupa then made an evil grin, baring her teeth.

"You didn't protect me!" She said, before going into a fit of maniacal laughter.

Joe was both confused and terrified. He shook and collapsed on the ground in fear in Cupa's laughter.

She then slowly came to a stop with her laughter, as she cocked her head, staring at Joe with the wicked smile on her face.

"Same for both of us, Joe-kun…" she said, as she slowly stepped towards Joe.

"H-Huh? B-Both?" He stuttered, then felt something on his back. It enveloped his neck, and he saw what looked like arms, as if someone was hugging him from behind.

He recognized these arms.

They were Andr's arms.

He then turned his head, and was even more horrified at the sight.

Andr held him, but it was her face that horrified Joe.

She had her eyes hollowed-out like Cupa's, except half of her face was torn off, showing her skull and what was left of her muscles on her face.

"Why…" Andr said in an eerie tone, similar to Cupa's.

"A-Andr? W-What's going on!?" Joe yelled at Cupa.

Andr then held Joe closer to her, as she whispered in his ear. IT was as if the rest of the world was silent when she spoke.

"_Why couldn't you save us, Joe-kun?"_

Joe then felt his heart sink, hearing Andr's question. He could feel it.

True fear.

Cupa then knelt down, her face inches from Joe's.

"You broke your promise." She said in a serious tone, her face straightened away from the laughter.

Joe couldn't move. He was too terrified to do so.

Andr then made a sinister giggle behind him.

"Oh. He's shivering." She said.

Cupa then smiled.

"Then...we should cure him." Cupa said, before both girls stifled laughter.

Joe was shivering beyond control. He was paralyzed.

The girls' stifling then turned into sinister, and maniacal fits of laughter.

He then couldn't take it anymore, as he finally screamed, but finding that the laughter was drowning out his screams.

The girls then continued to laugh, and laugh, maniacally and evilly, until it enveloped his mind.

* * *

Joe was writhing in his bed, experiencing his nightmare, screaming.

"No! Get away!" He yelled between fits of screaming.

In that moment, Cupa and Andr then came rushing upstairs, and ran towards Joe.

"J-Joe-kun!?" Cupa said, watching Joe squirming in his bed, screaming.

"C-Calm down, Joe-kun!" Andr yelled, in an attempt to wake him up.

Cupa then took it to herself to sit Joe up, him screaming in her face from his dream.

She then raised her head, and slapped Joe across the face, instantly waking him up and stopping the screaming.

Joe was still frantic, as he looked over everything.

"H-Huh? W-What!?" He yelled.

Cupa then shook Joe around.

"Calm down! It was just a dream!" she said.

Joe was gasping for air, as he saw Andr and Cupa in front of him.

"C-Cupa?...A-Andr?" He asked, still terrified.

"Y-Yes, its us. Just calm down, you just had a nightmare...:" Andr said, rubbing Joe's head.

"Don't worry, it was just a dream." Cupa said to Joe's face.

Joe then looked at both of them, and looked like he was about to cry.

"J-Joe-kun?" Andr said confused at Joe's reaction.

He then pulled both of the girls in, hugging them both at the same time, holding them tight.

"J-Joe-kun!?" Both girls yelled, both surprised at Joe's action.

He dug his face into their shoulders, sobbing.

Cupa and Andr looked at eachother, then smiled. They then both returned a hug to Joe.

The three then sat there on Joe's bed, all in a tight embrace, Joe sobbing and keeping back tears.

* * *

A few hours had passed, as Joe then finally settled down. He was sitting on the couch, as the two girls were talking among themselves.

Joe was lost in his thoughts.

_What the hell kind of dream was that? Did the real Herobrine make me experience that to scare me? Or…_

He then looked over at the two girls, who noticed he looked at them, and both smiled.

_...Is it a vision of the future….?_

He then stood up.

"I'm...going out…" Joe said to the two girls.

"Huh?" they both said.

"I'm gonna go fishing, to clear my head…" He said, rubbing his head.

"O-Oh, could I come?" Andr asked.

"Oh, uh...Sure. Did you want to come, Cupa?" Joe asked.

Cupa shook her head.

"I was thinking of going to the village. We are getting a bit low on food...If you can go and get some fish, I could get us some other food." she said.

Joe was surprised. Usually she would be the first to jump with going somewhere with him.

"U-Uh, well, okay then…" He said, scratching his head.

He looked at Andr, who shrugged.

"You sure?" He asked Cupa.

Cupa then smiled.

"If you need to clear your head, then go ahead. And I trust Andr to help you if you need it." She said, but it was almost as if she struggled to say so.

Joe noticed this, but for her Cupa's sake, he decided to nod.

He then went over to his chest, and pulled out his fishing rod, along with what he could use for bait, along with some food for him and Andr in case they got hungry.

All three then went out the door, as Cupa immediately headed for the village.

"You think she'll be alright?" Joe asked.

Andr looked over at Cupa, who looked like she was dragging her feet on her way towards the village.

"She'll be fine, I know she will. I think she's worried about what happened this morning." she said, looking at Joe.

"Hope so…" Joe said, as he started on his way, with Andr following behind him.

* * *

A few moments pass, as they found a shore of a small lake, and set up their spot there.

Joe sat down criss cross along the shore, and sighed.

"You alright?" Andr asked, noticing his behavior.

"Just thinking about the dream…" He said, staring at the lake, away from Andr.

"What was it about?" Andr asked, her hand on his arm.

Joe then shook his head, remembering the terrifying image from his dream.

"I-I don't really want to talk about it…" He said, as he then cast his line.

It was silent, as Andr sat next to Joe, looking at the lake with him.

Joe then spoke.

"Did you notice Cupa hesitating to talk back there?" He asked.

Andr then sighed. "Yeah, I did."

"You think she will be okay? I haven't seen her like that…" He said, not looking at Andr.

Andr then had a look of jealousy on her face.

"She'll be fine, she's tougher than you think." she said back.

She then moved closer to Joe, with him not noticing. She was within hugging distance with him, but he didn't seem to notice.

She tried to go to hug his arm, but Joe then spoke.

"It just kinda made my feelings drop when I saw her face like that.." he said.

Andr then stopped, and then moved her arms back to herself, looking down.

Joe then looked at Andr, noticing her behavior.

"You alright?" he asked.

She was silent.

"Andr?" Joe asked, not hearing anything from her.

Andr then stood up.

"If you care about her so much…" She started, balling her hands into fists.

Joe didn't know what to say about this situation. He had never seen her like this before.

She then turned around, and started running into the first, running away from Joe.

"H-Hey!" Joe said, standning up. "Where ar eyou going!?" he yelled.

Andr ignored him, as she kept running.

"Andr! Wait!" Joe said, running after her.

* * *

Andr kept running, ignoring Joe.

She had tears in her face, as she ran.

_If he cares about her so much, why doesn't he just go to her!?_

She then stopped, to catch her breath. She found that he had lost Joe, as she couldn't see him at all.

She heard some droplets.

She looked up, and saw a grey sky, and watched it start to rain.

She ran over to a nearby tree and sat against it.

The rain would hurt her, so she sat to protect her from the rain.

She hugged her legs.

_I don't have a home...I'm sure hes mad at me…_

Tears ran down her face, as she thought to herself.

The rain poured and poured, as she kept to herself.

She closed her eyes, like she would usually do when she's alone.

"The hell are you doing? Its pouring out here!"

She opened her eyes to see Joe in front of her.

"J-Joe-kun…" She said.

"There's a cave nearby. We can get away from the rain there." Joe said, offering his hand.

Andr let her hand out, but didn't take his hand.

Joe then took her hand by force, and carried her bridal-style.

"Come on, lets go." He said, as he covered her from the rain using his own body.

She was surprised, but she felt her heart settle.

Why was he helping her? Wouldn't he rather go back to Cupa instead? She didn't quite know.

Joe then walked until they found a cave, which they walked into.

He let her down to her feet, as he took off his sweater, which was soaked.

Andr, on the other hand, was completely dry. Joe was taken all the rain for her.

His hair was completely soaked, as he looked over at Andr.

"Well, this should keep us dry until the rain settles." he said, wringing out his hoodie.

Andr remained silent, standing in place.

Joe then pulled out a few wood blocks, and some flint and steel and lit them, making a campfire.

Joe then knelt near the fire, and warmed his hands form it.

"You gonna come by the fire?" He asked Andr.

She hesitated, then came by the fire. She started shivering, realizing how cold she was.

Joe chuckled at this, and pulled Andr into his lap. This made her blush profusely.

"J-Joe-kun?" Andr said, before being silenced by Joe's finger.

"You're shivering. And you're not changing my mind." He said, as he enveloped his arms around Andr.

They sat there for a few minutes, as Andr then rested her head on Joe's shoulder.

Joe held on to Andr, making sure Andr was secure and warm. He was a little pink from this, but he didn't show Andr.

Andr then closed her eyes, and spoke.

"Joe-kun?"

"Yeah?" Joe said back.

"...Why did you come for me?" Andr asked.

"What kind of question is that?" Joe replied.

Andr opened her eyes, and looked at Joe.

Joe looked at Andr in return.

"You're important to me." He said.

Andr then went red immediately, and looked away.

"I-Is that so…" she said, twiddling her fingers.

"Yeah. You're one of the first friends I've made since I came here…" Joe replied.

Andr looked at Joe again.

"Since...you came here?"

Joe chuckled.

"Yeah...I just woke up here. I have no idea how, or where I was at. But I knew what to do to survive...and I met you and Cupa." Joe said.

"R-Really?" She asked.

"Yeah...I'd probably gone insane if I didn't have you two by my side…" He said, laughing a bit.

Andr remained silent.

"But...We depend on you so much…" She said, looking down.

Joe chuckled, then held Andr closer, making her blush more.

"I depend on you guys as much as you do for me. Maybe even more…" he said, laughing a little.

Andr then looked down, and smiled.

She then dug her head between Joe's shoulder and his head. She felt like the spot was made just for her.

Joe smiled, and rested his head on her head.

They then stayed like this, until the rain settled.

* * *

Joe looked out, and saw the rain clear up. The fire he made had gone out, as Andr was still in his lap. She stood up, as they both stretched.

"Heh...That took a bit, huh?" He said, popping his neck.

"Yeah…" Andr replied back, looking at Joe.

Joe then turned towards Andr, and held out his hand.

"Here. Lets go home." He said, offering his hand.

Andr then smiled, as she took his hand.

They walked out, holding hands, walking through the forest.

* * *

**Phew...I hope I could clear some confusion, but I'll try and clear it more in due time.**

**Thank you for your time, and I'll see you in the next chapter.**


	10. Troublesome Concoction

**I hope I was able to clear some confusion with that last chapter. I would like to thank Author Shiinon-chii for hinting towards the parts of my story that could have been tweaked a bit. Such as Joe being a bit too brave with Herobrine, and the relationships going a bit too fast.**

**Anyway, I'm done rambling, so…**

**Enjoy.**

* * *

A few days had passed since the rainstorm Joe and Andr were caught in.

Joe had been experiencing more nightmares, and had been losing sleep over them.

He laid on his bed, staring at the ceiling.

_I can't take these nightmares anymore…_

He then turned to his side.

_I can't imagine anything happening to my friends like that...I'm still shaking from that first one…_

He looked and saw the strange blue potion that had remained on his nightstand for the past few days.

He took it, and examined it more in his hands.

_Just what did you give me…_

He popped the cork, and took another whiff of the potion.

"Blegh...still rank…" He said, as he replaced the cork.

He placed it back onto his nightstand, but was still staring at it.

"I don't trust it, but its been poking at my mind ever since I got it…" He said to himself. "I'll worry about it later…" He said, before rolling back into bed.

* * *

Joe was still awake, because he had attempted to sleep the previous night, but was kept up because of another nightmare.

He groaned as he rose out of bed. He popped his neck, which popped in pain.

He groaned in pain, as he rubbed his sore neck.

"Damn...I've pulled all-nighters before, but that had to be the worse…" He said to himself.

He looked back at that one potion on his nightstand.

His curiosity got to the better of him, as he popped the cork, and had a quick taste.

"Blegh...Taste's about as good as it smells…" He said, before immediately putting the potion down.

He then stepped out of bed, and went downstairs.

But he had a bit of trouble going down the stairs. His vision was going blurry, making his descent troublesome.

He noticed that the girls were not in their beds, nor in the house. This made his hair stand on end, as it reminded him of his first nightmare days before. His stress was then eased when he saw a piece of paper on the table.

He picked it up, and it read as such:

_We went out to find more herbs for tea, and went to the village for food. Please don't get in anymore trouble while we are out._

_Cupa and Andr_

He sighed in relief.

_At least they're out, and not hurt…_

He was still light-headed, as he walked towards the couch, and sat down.

"What was with that potion…" He said, rubbing his head.

His mind then flashed to a figure, wearing a cloak and what looked like a hat on it's head.

"What the hell…" Joe said, grasping his head.

His mind then went straight back to normal, as he shook his head.

"Alright, I'm throwing out that potion. I'd hate to see if I drank the whole thing…" He said to himself. "...But I'm going to wash my face first…" He said, before putting his shoes on, and went outside towards the well.

He thoroughly washed his face, and shook his head, shaking off whatever water on his face and hair.

He then heard footsteps.

He turned around, and instantly recognized who it was.

He groaned. "Not you again…"

It was the woman who gave him the potion, and who flirted with him while he took a bath, with both of them naked.

"Oh? You don't seem happy to see me." The woman giggled.

Joe then sighed.

"Well, the whole 'bath incident' was a little weird…" He said, drying his face his his shirt.

The woman then looked at his abdomen, with him distracted with drying his face.

"You seem like you've been quite busy. Anything going on?" She asked.

Joe scoffed through his nose. "Why do you want to know?"

The woman giggled. "No need to be so cold. It was a simple question."

"Just surviving, nothing else." Joe said, walking past the woman.

"Good. Very good." She said, with an eerie voice.

Joe looked back, but found she was not there. As if she had vanished.

"Weird-ass…" He said, then walked back into his home.

* * *

Hours pass, as Joe was still sitting on the couch, waiting patiently for the girls to come back.

He then felt a bit uncomfortable.

"I need to take a dump…" He said, as he walked outside, to find a private spot.

In that moment, the girls walked by the door, just missing Joe over the corner of his home.

They went inside, and noticed that Joe wasn't home. They knew he's not one to stay in bed, and they knew he would respect their wish for him not to go gathering today.

"Where do you think he went?" Cupa asked Andr.

"No idea...But he can't be far. We can wait for him." Andr replied.

Cupa then went upstairs, and still found no Joe. But she did notice the potion on Joe's nightstand.

She grabbed it, and looked at it.

"How long as he had this?" She asked herself.

She then took it downstairs with her, in which Andr noticed it.

"What's that?" Andr asked.

"No idea...I think he's had this for a while, but I guess I never noticed it until now." Cupa replied.

She put it down, as both girls then looked at it.

Andr then spoke.

"H-Hey, I think that's one of those potions that's supposed to let you become invisible!" Andr said.

Cupa looked at it closer.

"Really? I've heard of the potion, but I've never seen it…" Cupa said back.

Cupa then took the bottle in her hands.

"You wanna try it?" She asked.

Andr then shook her head.

"M-Maybe we should wait until Joe-kun gets back…" Andr said.

"Oh come on. You can't say you don't feel bad whenever he always help us." Cupa said back.

Andr then blushed. "W-Well, he does it because he's kind, and caring...not because he feels obliged…"

Cupa then smiled. "Well, don't you think it would be helpful to him if we could help gather without facing any danger like he does?"

Andr was silent.

"I-I guess…" she said, looking at the floor.

"Alright. Then I'm gonna try this potion, and show him I can help. If you don't want to, I won't force you." Cupa said.

Andr nodded.

Cupa then popped the cork, and took a smell. She nearly gagged on the smell.

"Blegh! What kind of stuff is brewed in this?" She asked, holding her nose.

"Well, It can't be too good to swallow, but it can help." Andr said.

Cupa then nodded. She took a few breaths.

"Okay...One...Two.." She said, as she downed the entire potion, with her nose plugged.

She nearly gagged on the taste, even though she had her nose held.

"Blegh...It tastes about as good as it smells." She said, putting down the empty bottle.

"How do you feel?" Andr asked.

"I feel...funny…" Cupa said, her head swaying back and forth.

In that moment, Cupa then stood up, her face blank from expression.

"C-Cupa-chan?" Andr asked.

* * *

Joe made his way back, done from releiving himself.

"Man, leaves for toilet paper sucks…" He said, adjusting his pants.

He walked around the side his home, when he heard Andr's voice.

"C-Cupa-chan? Whats wrong?"

He then jogged towards the door, only to have the door slam open to Cupa, with her blank face.

"Cupa? Whats wrong?" Joe asked.

She stood still, as Joe waved his hand in her face, trying to get her attention.

She ignored this, as she said one thing.

"Mary-sama…"

Joe was surprised.

"Mary? Sama?" Joe said.

Cupa then walked past Joe, going towards the direction behind his home.

Andr then ran up to Joe.

"J-Joe-kun! Cupa's acting weird!" She said.

"Yeah, I know...Who's Mary? and Why does Cupa call her with the prefix '-sama'?" Joe said.

"You know what '-sama' means?" Andr asked.

"Yeah. Its a Japanese term. Like you two calling me with '-kun'. I've noticed it, but never talked about it." Joe said.

"Cupa-chan has never, ever mentioned a 'Mary-sama' before. What's going on?" Andr asked.

"I don't know. I'll follow her, you stay here." Joe said, before starting on his way.

He was then stopped by Andr, who tugged on his sleeve.

"Be careful. We don't know who this 'Mary-sama' is, and we don;t know if this person is dangerous…" Andr asked of Joe.

Joe then smiled and nodded.

"Don't worry, I'm sure its nothing too big." He said, rubbing her head.

He then ran in the direction Cupa went, as Andr then went back inside the home.

* * *

Joe followed Cupa, but hid behind trees to not attract attention.

He watched as Cupa kept walking, him tailing behind her.

He followed her eventually until they approached the same lake that Joe encountered the woman.

"Huh? Why's she going here?" Joe asked himself.

He watched as Cupa walked along the shore, him making sure to stay behind the trees.

She then stopped near what looked like a tree house, nearby the other side of the lake.

"A tree-house?" Joe whispered to himself.

He then saw as Cupa climbed up the ladder up to the house.

Joe watched as Cupa climbed up the stairs, and followed after.

He slowly went up the the ladder as Cupa was climbing up.

He looked up, and then went completely red, as he remembered Cupa never really wore pants, and he could see her underwear, or bloomers or whatever.

He quickly looked away, and waited for Cupa to be completely up the ladder, and inside the treehouse, then he did the same.

He looked over the top, and saw, to his surprise, the woman earlier form this morning, along with Cupa fawning over her.

"Mary-sama…" Cupa said, infatuated with the woman.

"Oh, poor dear...that potion wasn't meant for you." the woman said, caressing her face.

Joe then hopped up on top of the ladder, standing above the ladder.

"Hey! You don't touch her!" He yelled.

The woman looked over. "Oh, its you. It seems you let this young girl drink the potion you dropped."

"I never dropped that, and you know it! You gave it to me!" Joe yelled back.

"Oh, details, details." the woman said, looking at Cupa.

Joe then balled his fists.

"So. Your name is Mary, eh?" Joe asked.

The woman then looked over with a smile.

"Yes. Though, you were supposed to drink the potion, not her." Mary said.

Joe then looked over at Cupa, who was currently obsessed with Mary.

"Mary-sama…" she said, kneeling against her.

Joe then made an angry face. "Turn her back, now!"

Mary then giggled. "And why should I? She could suffice for a slave."

Joe then ripped off a thick branch, and held it at Mary.

"If you don't then I'll force you." Joe said, in a menacing voice.

Mary then giggled, then turned to Cupa.

"Take care of him darling. I don't need him anymore." She said to Cupa.

Cupa then nodded. "Yes, Master." She said, then darted towards Joe.

Joe couldn't react in time, as Cupa then tackled him, sending them flying out of the treehouse.

Joe then held Cupa close to him, in an attempt to cushion her fall.

They landed with a thud, Joe taking most of the impact, as Cupa got on top of him.

She then curled her hand into a fist and raised it. She swung it down, but Joe moved his head, avoiding the blow.

"Cupa! Snap out of it!" Joe yelled, avoiding all Cupa's attacks.

He then saw her ready both of her fists, preparing for a double-handed hammer punch.

He then decided to counter this, by using his forehead to take the brunt.

He was a little dazed, but the attack wasn't much, as he finally threw Cupa off him.

He stood up, and stumbled.

"Damn, that hurt…" He said, rubbing his forehead.

He then saw Cupa immediately dash for him, and swing a punch, but he quickly countered it, getting Cupa in a headlock.

"Cupa! Cut it out! Whats wrong with you!?" He yelled.

Cupa then grabbed his wrist, and twisted it.

He lost his grip from the pain, as Cupa then quickly subdued him, bringing his arm behind him, getting him in an arm-lock.

"H-Hey! That hurts!" Joe said, then twisted himself. He then got into position to judo-throw Cupa, but she countered it by kicking Joe in the back.

He fell forward, as Cupa then walked up to him.

He stood up. "C-Cupa, don't make me hurt you!"

He then heard a cackle of laughter. He saw Mary on the standing by, spectating the fight.

"It won't work. She's completely under my control." She said.

Cupa then ran up to Joe, and jumped, using both feet to kick him in the face.

He was sent flying, as he tried to recover from the blow.

"Shit…" He said to himself, his hand on his jaw where Cupa kicked him.

"Limber, isn't she?" Mary said, laughing.

Joe then watched as Cupa ran towards him.

"I didn't want to have to do this…" He said, readying himself.

Cupa was unaltered by this, as she readied another fist.

Joe then took a deep breath. "Remember what you were taught in those self-defense classes back home…" he said to himself, closing his eyes.

He readied himself, with Cupa getting closer.

She then swung her punch, and in a slow-motion scene, Joe opened his eyes, and caught Her fist.

He held onto her fist, as she attempted to free herself.

He then pulled her past him, and hit her upside the head. He hit a pressure point, as Cupa then collapsed.

She was out cold, as Joe looked over her.

He then turned her head towards Mary, who flinched.

"No one makes me hurt my friends!" He said, then dashed towards Mary.

She then grinned, as she then pulled out two curved bottles, both filled with a grey concoction.

She then lobbed them at Joe, but in his fury, he caught the potion, and threw it right back, with a greater force.

She took the brunt of the splash potion, and immediately fell to her knees.

Joe then stopped and walked up to her.

She was too weak to even raise an arm, as Joe grabbed her, and held her in front of him.

"Cure. NOW." He demanded, in a loud tone.

Mary was terrified of Joe now, as she shook profusely.

"I-I can't! It has to be a different way!" She yelled back in fear.

He then dropped her, leaving her on the ground. He took a deep breath, calming himself down.

"How do I do it then?" He asked.

"G-Give me some time...I can't even stand…" Mary asked of Joe.

Joe could only grumble, as he helped Mary to her feet.

After a few moments, the potion of weakness wore off, and she could move again.

"Alright, it wore off. Now tell me how to cure her." Joe demanded.

Mary cleared her throat.

"T-The effect can only be removed by someone close to her…" She said, looking at Joe.

"What do you mean?" Joe asked.

Mary sighed. "She needs an act of love to be cured."

Joe then froze.

"How friggin' cliche can you get with this kind of stuff…" he said to himself.

Mary looked at Joe. "She must have this to be cured."

Joe sighed. "Man, how cliche is something like that to cure her…"

"So you know what you must do?" Mary asked.

Joe thought to himself.

"Would she have any family to help her? Or something?" He asked to himself.

Mary then sighed. "How dense can you be…"

Joe looked at Mary in confusion.

"It would seem she holds you close to her heart, just as you do. You should suffice." She said.

"M-Me!?" He said, going pink.

Mary giggled. "You know what you need to do then."

Joe realized, and sighed.

"Man, this is embarrassing…" He said as he walked over to Cupa. He turned her over, to where she was laying on his legs, but still laying on the ground.

He went completely red, as he knew what he had to do.

"You and your curiosity, you know?" he said, before holding her cheek with his hand.

He gulped.

_I'm really going to have to do this…_

He then took a deep breath, and looked at Cupa.

She looked so cute in her sleep to him. He lowered his head, closer to her face.

He then closed his eyes, and readied his lips.

When he was mere centimeters away, he heard a voice.

"J-Joe-kun?"

He opened his eyes to see Cupa was awake, and she was staring at Joe.

He then threw back his head away from Cupa's, and sat away from her, as she sat up.

"W-What Happened? What were you doing?" She asked.

Joe was completely red, looking at the ground in extreme embarrassment.

"N-Nothing...Glad you're back to normal…" He said, looking away from Cupa.

Cupa was slightly confused, but the thought of Joe that close to her face made her blush as well.

They then heard a fit of laughter from Mary.

"It seems that it wore off just in time, huh?" She said between fits of laughter.

"Hey! What does that mean!?" Joe said, standing up and facing Mary.

Mary then calmed her laughter, and looked at Joe.

"I was merely playing with you. It would have wore off by itself" She said.

Joe was filled to the brim with anger and embarrassment, as he balled his fist.

"W-Why you!" Joe yelled, but was stopped by Cupa hugging his arm, holding him back.

"J-Joe-kun, there's no need to hurt her…" Cupa said, holding his arm tight.

Joe was flabbergasted at her request. "B-But she-"

"Please! No more of this! I can see the bruises on you! I know I caused them!" Cupa yelled.

Joe's face then sunk.

"Y-You...knew?" he asked.

"I-I just couldn't control myself…" She said, holding tighter on Joe's arm.

He then calmed himself down, and sighed. He then returned Cupa's embrace, pulling her in his arms.

"I-I'm sorry I had to do that...I-I just didn't want to hurt you…" He said, feeling extremely guilty.

Cupa the looked up at him. "Come on, I tackled you out of that tree-house, punched and kicked you, and caused you more pain…" she said, before digging her head in his chest. "Please forgive me…" she said, crying into his chest.

Joe sighed, and rubbed Cupa's head. "Don't worry, I'll be fine. I've dealt with worse." He said, giving an unconvincing smile.

They then heard Mary sigh.

"Well, this is no fun…" she said.

Joe sighed, and turned his head toward Mary, still holding Cupa in his arms.

"Could you cut it out? She's crying because of you." He said, rubbing Cupa's head.

"So? Why should I care?" Mary asked.

Joe then gave her a dead stare.

"Because next time, I won't be so lenient." he said, showing the fury in his eyes.

Mary flinched at this, then sighed.

"Alright, I'm done." She said, before climbing back up her tree-house.

Joe watched as she went up to her tree-house, and couldn't help but feel pity for her.

_What a poor, alone soul…_

He then turned his head to Cupa.

"Hey, feeling better now?" he asked.

Cupa was sniveling, wiping her eyes. "Y-Yeah...I'm ok…" she replied.

Joe then gave a smile, with one of his eyebrows raised.

He pulled her into a tight embrace.

"Its alright. Its not your fault…" He said.

"B-But...I-I…." Cupa started, but was silenced with Joe's finger on her lips.

"No buts. Its fine." he said, wiping her tears.

Cupa then smiled back, still sniveling.

He then let go of Cupa.

"Now lets get back. I'm sure Andr's worried about us." He said, holding out his hand.

Cupa smiled, and took his hand, locking fingers with him.

They started on their way back, holding hands.

"So...note to self and everyone...don't drink potions you haven't made yourself." He said, having Cupa giggle slightly.

They walked until they approached their home, as they let go of each other's hands so Joe could open the door for Cupa.

She went in first, as Joe followed.

Andr, who was on the couch, noticed them walk in and jogged up to them.

She noticed the bruises on Joe's face, and grew worrisome.

"W-What happened?" She asked. "Y-You're all beaten up…"

Joe scratched his head. "I-Its fine, just had a scrap with a spider is all." Joe said.

"Cupa-chan?" Andr said, looking at Cupa.

"Its alright now, I guess I was just sleep-walking…" she said, scratching her cheek.

Andr cocked her head in confusion, when Joe then spoke.

"Alright, now that's all over with, who's hungry?" He asked.

Both girls then smiled excitedly, and raised their hands.

He smiled. "Alright, then I'll get cooking." He said, as he went towards his furnace., and started cooking food items.

The two girls then walked over to the couch, and sat down, waiting for dinner.

"S-So...what happened?" Andr asked.

"Well…" Cupa said. She then told a fake story to convince Andr that Joe fought a spider, and the potion made her sleepwalk, all while Joe was cooking and thinking to himself.

_Maybe I should...Even after all that._

* * *

Moments pass, as Mary was sitting down on a chair in her treehouse, with the sun setting.

She crossed her arms, as she thought about what Joe said.

_Or else I won't' be so lenient._

She then heard a knocking sound coming from outside. She looked outside and saw Joe walking away from her treehouse, his hands in his pockets.

She looked over to her side to see a basket, covered in a cloth.

She moved the cloth to see the basket filled with cooked beef and pork chops, cookies, and with some bottles of tea.

She then looked over at Joe, smiling.

_Thank you…_

* * *

**Man, Its freezing in my room… I'm lucky my fingers are working in this cold to type… Anyway, This will be the second chapter I've done in the time span of twenty four hours.**

**But seeing your positive criticism and praises makes it all worth it. You have no idea how much it makes my day to see people taking interest in my work.**

**I'm rambling again, so without further ado, I will see you all in the next chapter.**


	11. Chance of a Smile

**I was thinking of doing a Mega-Update today, but due to unconsidered circumstances, I was only able to finish this one.**

**I understand I haven't made updates in my previous fics in a long time, and I was thinking about updating them, but my mind has been all over this one, I guess I just didn't have the attention span to do so.**

**But, I promise I will update To LoveEd and The New Mega Man sometime during this week. Now that I have gotten that out of the way...**

**Enjoy.**

* * *

A day has passed since the whole trouble with Mary.

Joe and Cupa had an awkward atmosphere around them, but they got over it rather quickly.

Joe was sitting on the couch, recovering from last night's nightmare. He rubbed his eyes and head, hoping for his headache to disappear.

The girls noticed his behavior, and grew concerned.

"Have you seen him lately? He's been real out of it lately…" Cupa whispered to Andr.

Andr nodded. "Yeah, he doesn't look well…"

Cupa looked over at Joe, and saw the bandage on his right cheek. A wave of guilt coursed through her, as she looked back at Andr.

"We should do something to help him."

Andr raised and eyebrow. "Last time that happened, you went weird, and Joe-kun came back with bruises."

Cupa looked to the floor, gripping the bottom of her jacket.

"I-I know it was my fault, so it should be fair to do something for him to pay him back…" she said.

Andr looked over at Joe as well. She saw him slumping over himself, messing with his hair in frustration.

"Maybe another picnic over at the lake?" Andr suggested.

Cupa shook her head. "We can't do that too often. We need something that will really raise his spirits."

Andr raised her hand to her chin, thinking.

"There must be something we can do...He hasn't gotten much sleep from his nightmares, and gathering is taking a toll on him…" Andr said, thinking.

"Yeah…" Cupa said back, thinking as well.

In that moment, a knock came from the door.

Andr looked over, and answered the door to a villager dressed in a typical brown villager robe.

The villager bowed. "Good afternoon. Is Joe home?" she asked.

Joe heard his name, and rose from his seat. He walked over towards the door, in sight of the villager.

"Rose? What brings you here?" He asked.

"Ah, Joe. How did you recognize me?" the villager named "Rose" asked.

Joe chuckled. "You have three braids in that hair-thing of yours. Usually everyone had four."

Rose went a little pink, then spoke. "Well, I came here with an invitation for you and your friends."

Joe tilted his head to the left. "Invitation?"

Rose held her hands together, in front her chest. "Yes, We are celebrating the birthday of Emily. She is turning five today. We are having a huge celebration, and Emily wanted to invite you."

Joe was taken aback at this.

"Little Emily? She's turning five?" he asked.

"Yes, and she wanted to personally invite you, but she has preparations. You know us and our traditions." Rose said, smiling.

Joe laughed a bit. "Well, I don't want to make the little girl sad on her birthday. You two want to come?" he said, looking at Cupa and Andr.

They nodded, looking about as excited as Joe.

"Yeah, sounds fun!" Cupa said.

"Maybe it would let you unwind a bit, Joe-kun." Andr said as well.

Joe nodded in consideration. "Yeah, I guess you're right." he said, scratching his head. He turned to Rose. "How long until the party?" he asked.

"A bit from now. It'll give you time to prepare." She said.

Joe smiled. "Perfect!" He said, then turned to the two girls. "You two get ready, I need to go get some things first." He said.

The girls then nodded, as they went on to prepare themselves.

Joe then turned back to Rose. "Alright, we will see you all then."

Rose then bowed. "Thank you for accepting. I'm sure Emily will be overjoyed."

"N-No need to bow…" He said, as Rose walked towards the village.

He closed the door, and went to his chest. He pulled out his sword, in case of any random monsters, then headed out the door.

Meanwhile, the girls watched him as he went out with his sword in hand.

"What do you think hes going to do with that?" Andr asked, brushing her hair with a brush Joe made for her.

"Who cares? He finally cracked a smile. Maybe this way he can relax a bit!" Cupa replied, who was checking her outfit.

Andr then nodded, but then caught the brush on a snag in her hair.

* * *

Joe walked through the forest, knowing where he was going.

He approached a cave, lined with torches.

"Wonder if they're home…" He said to himself, entering the cave.

He walked through the stone tunnels, following a path of torches.

He stopped when he heard a noise. He turned around, and found nothing.

He then turned around, but only to be met with a familiar face.

"Hey! Whats up?"

Joe jumped, and fell back on his rear, looking at the face.

"Jesus Lily, don't scare me like that…" he said.

The person was Lily, but she was hanging upside down by her feet, as if she was walking on the ceiling.

Lily grinned, still upside down. "I thought it would be funny!" she said, laughing a bit.

Joe picked himself up, as Lily detached herself, but her footing was off, causing her to fall head-first.

Luckily, Joe had caught her in the nick of time, preventing her injury.

"Thanks. that would have been a real headache." She said, smiling guiltily.

He looked at her, and noticed she was wearing the Wayfinder he made for her as a necklace, and couldn't help but smile.

"So, whatcha need?" She asked, her hands behind her back.

Joe snapped to reality. "O-Oh, I was wondering if you and Nia would want to come with me to a celebration at the nearby village. They said I could bring some friends over." he said.

"Sure!" Lilly said, a bit of a spring in her step. "Not sure if Nia wants to though. She's been stuck in her book." She said, looking into the tunnel.

Joe chuckled. "Well, I guess we'll find out then." He said, as Lily walked down the tunnel, him following after.

They walked until they reached a door in the middle of a stone wall, as Lily burst through the door again.

"I'm hoooome! And I brought company!" she announced.

Nia had jumped from the sudden outburst, and dropped her book.

"What did I tell you about that!?" Joe could hear Nia say.

"I brought company!" Lily said, then moved over to show Joe to Nia.

Joe waved toward Nia. "Heyo."

Nia looked a tad surprised. "Joe? What are you doing here?" She asked.

"I came to ask if you wanted to come over to the village with me and a few friends for a party. Lily agreed to come, and I was wondering if you wanted as well." he said.

Nia went a bit pink. "A-A party?" she asked.

Joe noticed her thinking, and noticed she had her Wayfinder strapped to the strap of her skirt.

"It doesn't sound bad…" she said, her hand on her chin.

"What!? You don't want to come get food with me, yet when Joey comes here, you jump the gun!?" Lily yelled.

Nia grew annoyed. "Because you always wander off, and I always have to end up getting the food."

"I get curious, so what?" Lily replied, her hands behind her head.

Joe then stepped forward, interrupting the argument. "Well, since we established you want to come, so should we get going?" He said.

"Yeah! Let's go!" Lily said, but had Nia's book meet her face again.

"Can you wait two seconds?" Nia yelled. "I need to get ready, I've been in my book this whole time." She said, going to a nearby chest.

Joe then nodded, as he stepped back, allowing Lily to enter the home as well, with the door closing in front of him.

He waited about five minutes, as the door burst open again, making Joe jump.

"Lets go!" Lily said, her feet out, showing she kicked the door.

"I see why that can be annoying…" Joe said to Nia, who walked out along with Lily.

Nia sighed. "She does it every time…"

Joe could only chuckle, as he led the way out of the cave, the two spider-girls following after.

* * *

The group had reached out of the cave, looking at the sunlight.

The light got to the girls, as they were not quite adjusted to the light, them being underground most of the time.

"Gah! Too bright!" Lily yelled, covering her eyes.

"Oh, a little sunlight won't hurt you." Joe said, walking ahead, taking in the fresh air.

"Well, we're not used to it…" Nia grumbled.

Joe chuckled. "Well, get used to it. It'll be your friend for a while."

They walked on, until they approached Joe's home, which they saw Cupa and Andr outside the door.

They walked until both girls looked over, with Cupa opening her mouth in joy.

"Cupa-chan!" Lily screamed in joy, sprinting towards Cupa.

"Lily-chan!" Cupa yelled back, bringing Lily in an embrace.

This surprised Joe. He had no idea they knew each other.

"You guys know each other?" Joe asked.

Cupa nodded. "Lily-chans a good friend of mine!" she said, as Lily let go.

Nia looked over at Andr, and smiled.

"Good to see you again, Andr." Nia said.

"Same to you, Nia-chan." Andr said, smiling as well.

Meanwhile, Joe was lost in confusion.

"W-Well, at least you all know each other…" Joe said, scratching his head.

"Where did you meet these two at?" Cupa asked.

"E-Erm…." Joe stammered. He didn't want to mention that he nearly died when he met them. "I-I found them when I was gathering the other day…They helped out getting some iron." He said.

"Really? Well, thanks for helping him out then!" Cupa said, facing Lily.

Joe could only sigh, as Nia made a "I know you lied" smile at him.

After the heart-warming reunion, Joe stepped forward.

"Alright, we shouldn't leave Emily waiting. She's waiting on us." He said, looking over everyone.

After receiving a "Yeah." form everyone, Joe walked forward, leading the group of girls.

* * *

After walking into the village, the group found the whole village working, readying for the celebration. Flowers, oddly-shaped clay pots, and extravagant dresses worn by all the villagers, including the ones with jobs.

They all see Joe, and greet him warmly.

"Ah, Joe! Emily has been dying to see you!" Said the priest.

"Well, isn't she busy with preparations?" Joe asked.

"She's being fitted in her ceremonial gown. You can go see her if you like." The priest replied.

Joe nodded. "Thanks." He said, before walking on.

After a few steps, Joe felt a tug on his sweater.

He turned and found Cupa was tugging on his sleeve, and she looked confused.

"I never asked, but...who's Emily?" She asked.

Joe smiled. "She's this little girl I played with for some supplies, while her mother was working on her house." He replied. "I've been helping out for a bit looking after her, because her mother is a farmer, so shes always busy."

Cupa then smirked. "You've been a babysitter?" she said, while the other girls giggled and smirked as well.

Joe turned a bit pink. "Hey, you wouldn't have had those cookies the other day if I didn't."

"Its not that were making fun of you, we just didn't imagine you working with children." Andr said, giggling.

Joe scratched his head. "I try to be delicate, sue me…"

"We didn't mean anything out of it, so calm down." Nia said, grinning.

Joe chuckled, then turned around, walking forward.

They walked until they found a group of villagers, about four, with a smaller, much younger one,, being fitted in a white robe.

The little villager turned around, and was overjoyed to see Joe.

"Joe-Nii! You're here!" she little girl yelled, before plowing through the other villagers, running towards Joe.

Joe crouched down with his arms out, ready for a hug.

"Happy birthday, Emily!" He said, Emily lunged at him, hugging him.

The girls couldn't help but giggle, since Emily's arms couldn't fully reach around Joe, only stopping at his sides.

Emily raised her head to Joe with happiness all over her face.

"Didja come for my birthday, Joe-Nii?" she asked.

Joe then picked up Emily, supporting her with his right arm.

"Wouldn't miss it for the world!" Joe said, smiling.

Emily then proceeded to hug Joe again, making their faces rub against each other.

In that moment, another villager walked up to the two.

"Ah, I see you got the invitation from Rose." said the villager.

Joe chuckled. "Yeah. I didn't want to miss your daughter's birthday."

"I thought you would be too busy with gathering and such, so I guess Rose invited you herself." the villager said, smiling.

"Come on Elizabeth, I'm not that dense." Joe said.

Cupa and Andr couldn't help but roll their eyes.

"Well, I hate to be the one to interrupt, but Emily needs to be fitted in her dress. I'm afraid you'll have to wait until after the ceremony to play with her again." Elizabeth said.

"Awww, do I have to?" Emily whined.

"Don't worry, you can play all you want after." Elizabeth replied.

Joe tilted his head in confusion. "Speaking of ceremony, what is the ceremony about anyway?"

Elizabeth then giggled. "Well, We perform the ceremony every five years or each one of us. This is little Emily's first one, since she's turning five. We perform it as a way of a milestone of life."

"Oooh, alright." Joe said.

"Speaking of ages, how old are you, Joe-san?" Elizabeth asked.

"Yeah, come to think of it, we never really asked your age…" Andr said.

Joe looked around. "D-Did you want to know that much?"

In that moment, everyone nodded at the same time, staring at Joe, awaiting his answer.

After looking at everyone, growing nervous at their faces. He sighed.

"...Nineteen…" he said.

In that moment, all the girls giggled, along with Elizabeth.

"Well, at least we know you're still young. Maybe a year later, we could have a celebration for you." Elizabeth said, smiling.

Joe was a bit embarrassed, as he scratched his head with his free hand.

"Wow, you're old, Joe-Nii!" Emily said, looking at Joe.

"H-Hey, I'm not that old!" Joe said back to Emily.

"Well, we should have Emily go back to her preparations." Elizabeth said, looking at Emily.

"Awww…." Emily said, as Joe let her down.

She then walked over back to the group, with the other two villagers going back to work.

"You five should go over to the square. The ceremony will begin in a few minutes." Elizabeth said, looking at the group.

"Alright, we'll be on our way." Joe said.

"Sounds exciting!" Lily yelled out, as Joe walked back, with the rest following.

"What do you think is going to happen?" Cupa asked.

"We won't find out until we see it, right?" Joe said, as he kept walking.

Cupa and Andr looked at each other, then shrugged.

They seemed to be thinking the same thing, saying it in unison.

_At least he's smiling._

* * *

A few minutes pass, as Joe and the group walk to what seemed like a stage. They all sat down near the stage, getting the best view.

Joe sat down first, sitting criss-cross as usual, as Cupa sat to his right, Andr to his right. Nia and Lily sat down wherever seemed fit to them.

The rest of the audience went quiet, as the performance began.

Emily walked out, with her dress fully made, and a circlet made with flower petals and stems.

She stepped forward, as her mother and the Priest walked forward.

In that moment, A thought stuck Joe's mind.

_How in the hell can they give birth if they are all female? I guess it makes about as much sense as the gender neutral logic of Minecraft...but everyone besides me are female…Man my head hurts…_

Joe let his thoughts go, as he continued watching.

The performance went on, as the Priest walked forward.

"We gather here today, to celebrate Emily's fifth birthday, marking the first half-decade of her young life." The Priest announced.

Elizabeth then stepped forward. "As our tradition, we celebrate the first half-decade more extravagant than a normal birthday."

The priest nodded. "We shall celebrate little Emily's fifth birthday, by allowing her to perform the ceremonial dance."

Emily then walked up to the stage, and readied herself.

In that moment, a beat of a drum could be heard, along with the sound of windpipes.

Emily then began her dance. Her movements seemed well practiced, but a few slips here and there. She was young, so she couldn't master the movements yet.

A few moments pass, as everyone watched Emily dance. There were a few smiles, a few giggles, and some silent moments.

The dance lasted several moments, as the sun was setting. As Emily wrapped up her dance, she was showered with applause.

Joe stood up, clapping, and was followed with everyone else standing up and applauding.

Emily turned bright red, in a happy sense of embarrassment.

The applause died down, as torches were lit, surrounding the village with light.

Joe then sat back down, and was joined by the group.

"Wow, she did such a good job!" Cupa said, her face bright with joy.

"It must have taken Emily-chan a while to learn that…" Andr said.

"I'm sure as hell impressed. That was both cute and beautiful at the same time." Joe said, chuckling.

In that moment, several villagers held out baskets of food, and were giving it out to people sitting down.

Everyone had received plenty of food and drink, and were talking among each other. It looked like any regular birthday party to Joe.

"Joe-Niiiiiii!"

Joe turned around and found Emily, running with her arms out for a hug.

He turned himself, and was nearly knocked over from Emily's impact.

"Didja like the dance? Huh? Didja?" Emily asked, with her face buried in Joe's chest.

Joe picked up Emily and sat her in his lap. "Sure did! You were great up there!"

Emily then smiled, as she rubbed her face against Joe's chest.

"How long did it take you to learn that, Emily?" Cupa asked.

Emily put up seven fingers. "This long."

"I'm guessing seven days?" Andr asked.

"Yep!" Emily chirped. She then looked at he girls. "Joe-Nii, who are they?"

Joe chuckled. "These are my friends Cupa and Andr, the ones I told you about. The ones over there are Lily and Nia." Joe said.

Emily stared at the girls, who all looked at her back, confused.

"They're really pretty…Which one are you going to marry?" Emily said, looking at Joe.

Everyone besides Emily then flinched in surprise.

"H-Hey, don't ask a question like that…" Joe said, a bit pink in the cheeks.

Cupa and Andr giggled, while Lily and Nia seemed to be on their own buisiness.

"Yeah Joe-kun, which one of us do you like?" Cupa teased.

"Hey, don't support her like that…" Joe said, his pink face turning red.

The girls laughed at Joe's embarassment, except Emily, who seemed a tad confused.

* * *

About an hour passes, as Everyone is stuffed from the food.

"Man, I can't eat another bite…" Joe said, his hand on his stomach.

Cupa was laying down, mostly from her filled stomach.

"Too much food…" she managed to say.

Lily and Nia seemed to be talking, while Andr looked to Joe.

"Joe-kun." She said, pointing below him.

He looked down, and saw Emily fast asleep. He couldn't help but smile.

"Had a big day today, huh?" Joe said quietly, rubbing Emily's head. "I'll go put her to bed. I'll be right back."

He then picked up Emily and stood up, making sure she was comfortable, and making sure not to wake her up. He walked over to Elizabeth, who was talking with the blacksmith.

"Hey, the birthday girls out like a redstone light. I'm gonna go put her to bed." He said, holdng Emily in his arms.

Elizabeth nodded. "Thank you. You were always her favorite you know."

Joe chuckled, tiltiing his head. "Well, I know her almost as much as you do." He said, a bit pink in the cheeks.

Elizabeth smiled in return, as Joe walked on. He walked until he reached Emily and Elizabeth's home, when he entered, and carried Emily to her room.

He then put her in bed, and tucked her in.

"Joe-Nii…" Emily said in her sleep.

Joe couldn't help but smile, and brushed her hair.

He then reached in his jacket pocket, and pulled out a Wayfinder, but this one was colored brown.

_Not sure about her favorite color, but since shes a villager, I thought it would be a good idea. Good thing I made this a few days ago…_

He then pulled out his own Wayfinder, which he was wearing as a necklace. He compared his dark-blue color of his to the brown color of Emily's.

_An unbreakable bond…_

He then placed Emily's Wayfinder on her nightstand, in perfectly placed for when she wakes up.

"Happy Birthday, Emily." Joe said, rubbing Emily's head, wrapping her tighter with her blanket.

He then tiptoed out the door,and out of the house.

He walked on, not realizing his Wayfinder was exposed, as it hung over his chest.

He stuck his hands in his pockets, walking forward.

He was lost in his thoughts as he walked.

_What does Herobrine want with me? Does he want to kill me? Torture me? These nightmares are all tearing my mind to shreds..._

He sighed.

_Well...At least this made my day._

He walked on until he met with the crowd of villagers, but he noticed something about them.

They were all disoriented, stumbling around, all with smiles on their faces, and red cheeks.

"Huh? Is everyone alright?" Joe asked.

Elizabeth turned her head, and faced Joe.

"O-Oh! Joe! There you are! We've been waiting for you!" She said, but with a bit of a slur in her voice.

"Really? You have?" Joe asked, tilting his head.

"Yes! Yes! You're friends all need to talk to you...or something." Elizabeth said, hiccuping.

Joe shrugged. He walked over back to the girls, who were all acting very strange.

Cupa was looking around her, with a grin on her face, Andr was rubbing her face along the grass, practically drooling.

Nia seemed to be minding her own business, but was swaying back and forth.

Finally, Lily seemed to be laughing uncontrollably, with an empty bottle in her hand.

"Is...everyone alright?" Joe asked.

All the girls then jumped, and stared at Joe.

"J-Joe-kun!" Cupa said, standing up.

"Y-Yeah, its me." Joe replied, confused.

Cupa then stumbled over to Joe, and fell, leaning over him.

"H-Hey, are you alright?" Joe asked, supporting Cupa.

"Yeah, I'm fine, just a bit woozy…" Cupa said, trying to regain her balance.

Joe tried all he could to stand Cupa up, until a strong scent crossed his nose.

"Huh?" He said, smelling the air. The smell was coming from Cupa

_No friggin way…_

"Please don't tell me…" Joe said, his hand covering his face.

The girls titled their heads, while the villagers laughed.

"...You're all drunk…" Joe said.

"Drunk? So thats what this is…" Andr said, looking at her hands.

"This is fuuunnnn!" Cupa yelled, followed by laughter.

Joe helped Cupa sit down, while he scratched his head in disbelief.

"How in the hell is there even alcohol anyway…" Joe said.

In that moment, he noticed Cupa staring at him.

"Er...Cupa?" He asked.

Cupa then crawled over to him, on all fours, until she was very close.

"N-Need anything?" Joe asked.

She then picked up a bottle of red liquid off the ground near her and offered it to Joe, smiling.

"Take a drink, Joe-kun." She said.

Joe shook his head. "I-I'm good…" he said.

Andr then crawled towards Joe as well.

"Come on Joe-kun, don't be a party-pooper." Andr said.

Joe scoffed. "Andr, you didn't even know you were drunk until I told you that you were."

"Well, the villagers offered it to us, and I'm sure they want to offer it to you as well. You're actually quite the talk of the town here." Nia said, with her eyes closed and arms folded.

"I never expected to see you drunk either Nia." Joe said, with a smug grin on his face.

"H-Hey.." Nia said, before falling to her side. "I didn't know it was alcohol until you said so…"

Joe sighed. "The only sober man in a village full of drunk girls and women? This can't spell anything good…" he said.

In that moment, Cupa poked Joe with the bottle.

"Come on, please? We only want you to have fun…" She said, with a slur.

"Yes, please! Have some fun with us!" Andr said, before laughing.

Immediately, nearly the whole village surrounded Joe, saying "Take a drink" or "Have some fun" Or other lines to provoke him to drink.

Joe sighed heavily.

"Man, thats not fair...:" He said.

"So...will you?" Cupa said, the bottle in her hand.

Joe looked at the bottle.

"...Fine…" he said, before taking the bottle.

In that moment, a roar of applause and cheers were heard.

Joe looked at the bottle, and sighed as he popped the cork.

"Cheers." He said, raising the bottle.

"Cheers!" Everyone else yelled, watching in anticipation.

Joe then proceeded to down the entire bottle within a few gulps.

He was met with astounded cries and laughs, as he wiped his mouth.

"How did you do that? I could barely swallow my first gulp!" Cupa said, her face brightened with surprise.

"Its a secret." He said, grinning.

An hour passes, as Joe has succumbed to the pressure of drinking, having three bottles of alcohol downed.

The blacksmith, obviously out-of-her-mind drunk, yelled at Joe.

"Hey! Joey! I'd like to see how much you can keep your alcohol." she said, a smug grin on her face.

Joe, who was slightly buzzed, grinned in confidence.

"Alright, I'm game." He said, before sitting at the table the blacksmith was sitting at.

The other villagers then pulled out several bottles of alcohol, all within arms reach.

Joe and the blacksmith stared at each other, each in a determined deadlocked state.

The rest of the villagers and the four girls surrounded the table, with the four girls behind Joe.

"You ready?" Joe said, with a slight sense of confidence.

"I'm gonna wipe the floor with you. If I win, You gotta find one hundred Iron ore for me!" She said, crossing her arms in confidence.

"Oh, a bet? Alright, but if I win, you gotta find five diamonds for me!" Joe said, and was immediately met with a roar of "Ooooo"s.

"You're on!" the blacksmith said, taking a bottle.

Joe pulled out a bottle as well, and popped the cork.

They both then immediately downed each of their bottles, almost in complete synchronizations.

"Bottle one, down!" the judging villager announced.

"Feeling a bit drowsy there, Joe?" the blacksmith said.

"Come off it, Jill, that shit ain't working on me." Joe said, grinning.

For the next few moments, they both then proceeded to down a bottle of alcohol each, on e after the other.

At around six for each, Joe noticed Jill swaying back and forth.

"Feeling a bit woozy there, Jill?" Joe said, red in the cheeks.

"S-Screw off…" Jill said, trying to keep her balance.

Joe then pulled two more bottles, and handed one to Jill.

"Come on, I know you're tougher than that!" Joe said, before downing his tenth bottle.

"How….are you….going this far?" Jill managed to spit out.

Joe then pounded his chest in pride. "Irish blood coursing through my veins. You look like a lightweight compared to me."

"L-Lightweight!?" Jill said, taken aback.

"Prove me wrong then." Joe said, shrugging.

Jill then immediately took her bottle, and gulped the whole thing down.

A moment passes, as she finally hit her limit, and fell backwards onto the ground.

"Luck of the Irish!" Joe said, clapping.

He then stood up, and stumbled heavily.

"H-Hey, I think we should get going." Joe said, with a slur in his voice.

"Yeah, I feel like I'm gonna collapse!" Cupa said, leaning on Joe.

"Alright...Alright Elizabeth, thank you for having us over, and thanks for the drinks." He said, waving to Elizabeth.

"Thank you for coming, I'm sure it made her day!" Elizabeth said back, waving back.

Joe then walked over towards his house with the girls following after.

He wasn't as drunk as them, but he felt buzzed compared to what the girls felt.

He turned to Nia and Lily.

"Hey...You two want to stay the night here tonight?" He asked.

Nia went red, and nearly fell. "W-What!? Why are you asking that!?" Nia said, in a embarrassed-slash-drunken roar.

"Well...I'm a bit worried something might happen on your way back. you never know what could happen in a dark forest, with two vulnerable-"

"Alright! We'll stay over…" Nia interrupted, turning red.

"You two alright with it?" Joe asked Cupa and Andr.

"It sounds nice, but...we only have three beds." Cupa slurred.

"Well, maybe he could craft some extra beds…" Andr replied.

They walked into his home, welcomed with a red-stone light that Joe made.

"I don't have the materials...even if I did, I don't think I could make a bed properly…" He said, thinking.

"W-Well when you say that…" Cupa said.

"I got it!": Joe said.

The girls then looked at Joe.

"Cupa, Andr, you share my bed. Lily and Nia can take your beds. Sound good?" Joe offered.

"Sounds good to me!" Lily yelled.

"But...where would you sleep?" Andr asked.

Joe chuckled. "The floor upstairs. Its alright, I've done it before." Joe said with a drunken smile.

"Well...if you really want to…" Andr said, twiddling her fingers.

"Well, lets go then! Before I pass out standing up…" Cupa said, as she and Andr stumbled upstairs.

Nia and Lily each then took a bed, and had trouble with the blankets, being drunk and everything.

Joe then laughed, as he went to them and helped each one in, and tucked them in.

He pulled the blanket over Nia, as she stared at him.

"Anything wrong?" He asked.

"Well…" Nia started.

Joe tilted his head.

"I don't know how to thank you...If you hadn't offered, me and Lily would have to sleep cold again tonight…" Nia said.

Joe chuckled. "Hey, wheres the tough Nia at? I don't seem to see her." Joe teased.

Nia then smiled, then lightly hit Joe in the arm.

"Night Nia." He said.

"Night...Joe.." She said, before peacefully descending into slumber.

He stood up, and walked to Lily and tucked her in.

"Night, ya Firework." Joe teased, poking at her hyperactivity.

Lily snickered. "Night, Joey" she said, before passing out.

He smiled, then walked upstairs, stumbling up the steps.

He reached the second floor, as he looked upon the two girl laying in his bed, fast asleep, holding hands.

"Best friends until the end, eh?" Joe said chuckling.

He walked over by the bed, and laid on the floor.

He stared at the ceiling, resting his head on his hands.

"Crazy day...Maybe the alcohol will help me sleep…" Joe said, before re-positioning himself in a more comfortable spot. He tossed and turned, looking for comfortable spot, until he felt something poke his shoulder.

He looked over and saw Cupa, awake, and Andr, with her head raised, both looking at Joe.

"Come on to the bed already." Cupa said.

Joe went red at that moment. "B-But, you two are already laying, there, a-and we would have to be very close in order to all fit…" Joe said, embarrassed.

"We don't mind, as long as we don't do any lewd things…" Andr said, smiling.

"I never expected to hear you say that, Andr." Joe said, his face blank.

Andr giggled. "Well, I feel veerrrry happy right now, so just come on up." she replied.

"Yeah, so get your butt up here" Cupa said, offering her hand.

Joe sighed.

_Its a lot better than the floor…_

He stood up, and walked to the bed.

"Are you sure you want to go through with this?" Joe asked.

"Yes already, get in!" Cupa demanded.

"Alright, alright.." Joe said, as he squeezed in between Andr and Cupa, with Cupa to his left and Andr to his right.

They then both laid on Joe, and sprawled an arm across his chest.

"H-Hey, you didn't say anything about snuggling…" Joe slurred, the alcohol still affecting him.

"Its comfy this way." Andr said, digging her head between Joe's neck and his right shoulder.

Joe turned as red as a beet as this, and even more so when did the same to his left shoulder.

"Man...How did it get like this…" Joe said.

In that moment, Andr and Cupa raised their heads, giving a quick kiss on the cheek on their respective cheek on Joe's face, causing him to jump, and nearly have a nosebleed.

"Night, Joe-kun" They said at the same time, before both drifting to sleep.

Joe sighed, staring at the ceiling.

"What a crazy-ass day…" He said, before yawning.

He looked down at Andr and Cupa, both sleeping peacefully sleeping.

He chuckled.

"Night, girls…" Was what he said, before drifting off to sleep himself.

* * *

**Holy Balls I'm tired. I lost my attention span a few times there, but I pulled through.**

**Thank you for reading, and I will hopefully see you in the next chapter.**


	12. A Helping Hand

**Hello, I'm making this real quick before I start on my other fics, so I can hold you all over. Expect more Updates in due time.**

**Enjoy.**

* * *

Joe had awoken the next day, with a splitting headache.

"Ugh...Too much to drink…" he said, moving his arm, but found it restrained.

He looked over, and saw Andr's head laying on his shoulder.

He blushed profusely, and then noticed that Cupa was on his opposite arm.

He opened his arm to yell, but stopped when he saw them both rubbing their heads against his shoulder, finding more comfortable spots. He could also hear them cooing in their sleep.

_Shit…_

He couldn't move now. They looked much too comfortable.

He sighed as he laid his head back.

_What the hell happened last night? I can remember some, but not a lot…_

He decided "Screw it" and closed his eyes again, trying to go back to sleep.

_Just how crazy can all this get?_

* * *

A few moments later, Andr opened her eyes, and found she was sleeping next to Joe, her arm around the left side of his neck.

Rather than have a nervous breakdown like she thought she usually would, she smiled, and caressed Joe's face.

She didn't know why she cared for him so much. Was it because he gave her a place to live, when she had nothing? Was it because he cared for her back? Because he fed her, kept her warm, and kept her company?

Her mind couldn't figure it out, but she felt that her heart knew exactly what she felt.

Did she love him? She definitely had feelings, but maybe so much as a crush, not love...She was still not sure.

She ran her fingers through his dirty-blonde hair. He somehow had kept it maintained, even though shampoo was practically non-existent in Minecraft.

She then went back to caressing his face. She ran her thumb against his rather squishy cheek. She felt his thin facial hair on her palm, slightly tickling her hand.

She stared softly at his lips. She could not find was was coming over her. She leaned closer, micing her face towards his. Her heart was beating very fast, as she moved closer.

When she was mere centimeters away, just the slightest movement would make their lips meet.

She stopped when Joe groaned in his sleep. She raised her head, and looked at Joe's face.

She couldn't help but smile, as she kissed his forehead, then went back to laying on his shoulder.

She rubbed her head against the base of his shoulder, made sure the blanket was still over her, and wrapped her arm around the left side Joes neck like her previous position.

He held him closer, as if he was about to leave her.

_What would I have done without you…_

She closed her eyes, and drifted off to sleep.

* * *

Another few moments later, Cupa then woke up.

She found that she was snuggling with Joe, and went pink.

She couldn't feel nervous around him. She felt safe, secured, and felt she wasn't alone with him by her side.

She could feel she liked him even more as each day went by. She couldn't explain why.

Was it the fact that he welcomed her into his home, knowing he just built it the previous day? Or was it that he overcomes so many difficulties just to make sure she was content and safe?

She looked over and Saw Andr's head, snuggling with him as well.

What were her feelings on Andr liking Joe as well? Was she jealous? Possessive? She didn't quite know.

All she knew was that she understood if Andr liked him.

There was this feeling of assurance she gets from Joe. Assurance that she was not alone in this cruel, harsh world. She never felt vulnerable whenever she was around him.

Ever since they first met, she could feel his kindness and compassion. She never found a reason to frown whenever he was by her side.

He saved her life. She would have frozen to death from the night's cold grip if he hadn't taken her in. She owed him her life, but she knew he was much too humble to use it against her.

She stared at Joe's sleeping face. She felt that his looks matched his kindness.

She thought that his long, dirty-blonde hair made him attractive, along with his face.

She couldn't find one thing that she didn't like about Joe.

Well, maybe his denseness got to her at times.

She wrapped her arm around Joe's abdomen, holding him tight.

Even though he was asleep, vulnerable to anything, she felt safe holding him.

He even told her he would risk his life to help his friends.

She remembered her heart jumping when he said that.

Her mind couldn't figure Joe out, but her heart could.

She gave Joe a quick peck on the cheek, then went back to cuddling Joe.

_I'd be dead if it weren't for you…_

She got as close as she could to Joe, and closed her eyes.

She then felt the bliss of sleep slowly taking her away, as she drifted to slumber.

* * *

A few hours pass, as the sunlight shines through the window.

It shined through, waking the three up simultaneously.

They looked around, and saw they were in the same bed.

Joe seemed the only only completely embarrassed, as the girls giggled.

"I-I'm sorry if I had you do anything you two didn't want to do…" Joe said, scratching his head.

The girls smiled.

"Don't worry, nothing happened." Andr said, smiling at Joe.

"Yeah. Besides, we know you wouldn't do anything like that." Cupa said.

"B-But...I was drunk, I don't remember much of what happened…" Joe said, rubbing his head.

The girls giggled again.

"They only 'thing' you did was sleep in the same bed as us." Cupa said.

"Even that sounds weird…" Joe said.

"Anything wrong with sleeping in the same bed as us?" Andr asked.

"W-Well...N-No! N-Nothings wrong with that, I-Its just...well...crap…" Joe stammered, before sighing.

"Don't worry, we can tell by your red face that it's 'different'." Andr said, smiling.

Joe sighed again.

"Well, I should get breakfast going, I'm starving." Joe said, standing out of bed.

The girls both nodded, and followed after Joe downstairs.

Joe stepped down, and looked around downstairs. He saw Lily and Nia, both still sleeping in their beds.

He smiled, as he raised his finger to his mouth at the girls, signaling silence.

The girls nodded, and tiptoed to the table.

Joe then grabbed some eggs he received from the village, and pork chops he hunted himself.

He placed some coal in the furnace, and set it alight.

_What Minecraft player would guess that the furnace could double as a stove? _He thought, as he pulled a pan he made from iron, and set it on the "stove".

He then put the pork chops on the pan, causing a pleasant smell that could make any mouth water.

"Rise and shine you two, and tell me how you want your eggs!" Joe yelled towards the two sleeping spiders.

The sleeping girls woke up, smelling the porkchops.

"H-Huh?" Nia said, looking around.

Lily sat up, and wiped the drool from her mouth. "What's going on?" she asked.

"How do you two want your eggs?" Joe asked.

"Scrambled!" Cupa chirped.

"Fried." Andr replied.

"Alright, comin' right up." Joe said, cracking eggs onto the pan.

Nia stood out of bed, running her fingers through her hair.

"You're making breakfast?" Nia asked.

"Well, yeah. Anything wrong with it?" Joe asked, facing his work.

"Well...You don't really have to…" Nia said.

Joe chuckled. "Well, you two can't live forever on apples and bread. So I'll ask you again." Joe said before turning around. "How do you like your eggs?"

Nia went pink, and was silent. "Sunny-side up." She said.

"Huh. Weird way to eat eggs." Joe said cracking another egg.

Lily hopped out of bed. "I would like mine scrambled!" she said.

"Heh. Coming right up!" Joe said, cooking the food.

He pulled out bread, sliced it, and placed it inside of the furnace.

"Whats eggs and ham without toast?" Joe asked himself, smiling.

After a few moments, he was all finished with the food, as he prepared it differently with each girl.

He handed each girl their respective desired plate, along with some utensils he made from iron, and a bottle of milk.

He finally sat down with his own food, wiping his mouth from drool.

"Dig in, everyone." He said, before eating.

While everyone was eating, Nia kept to herself.

_What is with him? Why is he making us breakfast? Why is he doing all this nice stuff for us? Usually we get a boot to the face if we ask for this sort of thing…_

"Yo, Nia" came a voice.

She looked up, and saw Joe looking at her.

"You gonna let your food go cold?" He asked, pointing with his fork.

She hesitated, but picked up a fork. She took of her food, and nearly cried at the taste.

Joe noticed this. "Something wrong?"

Nia wiped the tear from her face. "Its...just that it's been a very long time since I've had a home-cooked meal…" She said, smiling slightly.

"Really? Lily doesn't seem to have a problem." Joe said, taking a swig of his milk.

Lily on the other hand, was wolfing down her meal, not making anything of her food last.

Everyone stared at her, about to laugh.

She stopped when everyone looked at her.

"What? Never seen a hungry girl before?" She asked, grinning.

Joe then laughed, which was followed by Cupa and Andr, as Lily grinned at the group.

Nia stifled her laughter, but could not contain it, as she laughed along with everyone.

* * *

After everyone finished their meal, everyone made a very satisfied sigh from the food.

"That was delicious!" Cupa said, rubbing her filled stomach.

"Thanks, I try whenever I can." joe said, followed by a rather large burp.

Nia then stood up. "W-We should get going now…"

Joe looked at her, confused. "You sure?" he asked.

"Y-Yeah...we don't want to be much of a bother…" Nia said.

"Really? I think this is great! Joey's the best!" Lily said, only to have Joe scratch his head in flattery.

"Come on now, we have our own home to worry about." Nia said, walking out.

Lily sighed, and followed after.

"Hey, at least let me escort you there." Joe said, standing up.

"N-No, no need for more trouble…" Nia said.

Joe chuckled. "Hey, you never know what could pop up. I had a zombie hiding behind a tree in broad daylight nearly bite my head off." He said.

Nia grew silent.

"It'll be my pleasure." Joe said, pulling an Iron sword from his chest, and hung it over his side.

"Let's go then!" Lily said, before kicking the door open and walking out.

"She really needs to quit doing that…" Joe said, as he and Nia watched her walk out.

"Tell me about it…" Nia said back, sighing.

Joe turned to Cupa and Andr. "Keep watch while I'm gone. I'll be right back." Joe said.

The girls nodded, as they took the plates from the table.

Joe turned to Nia. "Ready to go?"

"Ready as ever." Nia said, as she walked after Lily.

Joe chuckled as he followed after, saying "Be right back" to Cupa and Andr.

* * *

The three walked on, with Lily leading forward, humming to herself, while Joe and Nia were having a conversation.

"Wait, Lily did _what _to a skeleton?" He asked.

"I'm not making it up, she seriously did." Nia replied.

"Man. I always thought Spider-Jockeys were weird…" He said.

They walked on until they found the cave the two girls were living in. They followed the torches Joe placed until they reached Nia and Lily's home.

They stopped at the door, in which Lily kicked open the door, yelling "I'm hoooome!".

"There isn't even anyone in there!" Nia said, annoyed.

Joe chuckled. "We need to tell her about that."

Nia turned around, and went a bit pink.

"T-Thanks for having us over and feeding us...It helps a lot." Nia said, looking away from Joe.

"Don't worry about it. I was more than happy to help." Joe said, smiling.

Nia went silent, then turned around, sighing.

"I guess its back to finding apples and bread for us…" She said. "But at least we have a home."

Joe looked at her, with a low expression.

"Hey."

Nia looked back at Joe.

"Come back anytime you and Lily can't find any food. I have more than enough." Joe said, smiling.

Nia went red, as she twiddled her fingers.

Joe chuckled, and placed his hand on her head.

"I won't let a friend starve, alright?" He said, rubbing her head.

Nia didn't know why, but Joe rubbing her head felt….nice.

"Y-Yeah...Thanks…" she said, smiling at Joe.

Joe smiled back, as Nia backed into her home.

"See ya later." Joe said, waving.

Nia waved back. "See ya…" she said, before closing the door.

Joe was then alone, as he looked at the door.

He chuckled, and turned around.

But what he turned around to, made him freeze.

He saw a green, thin creature, looking directly at him.

"Oh Shit." He said.

The Creeper started to slowly inflate, making the signature hissing noise.

"Fuck!" Joe yelled, as he ran into the house.

Nia and Lily then looked back, as Joe sprinted to them.

"Get down!" Joe screamed, as he held them close and brought them down, shielding them.

What followed after was the sound of an explosion, followed by flying pieces of cobblestone and wood.

After the dust settled, Nia looked up, and saw Joe, wincing in pain.

He released the girls, and stood up. They all looked behind them, and the aftermath horrified them.

Half of the girls' home was completely destroyed, with their bed, chest, and door incinerated.

The girls were about ready to cry after seeing the aftermath.

"O-Our home…" Nia said, tears in her eyes.

"All our stuff, burned to ashes…" Lily said, with a somber tone.

They looked at Joe, who had his hand on the back of his head.

"Damn Creeper...Always blowing shit up…" He said, as he turned what was left over of the girls' home.

The girls noticed his hair was a bit red, and the back of his clothes a bit singed.

"J-Joe, Your head! And your clothes!" Lily said, pointing at Joe.

Joe chuckled. "Yeah, a bit hit me on the head. But I'm all good." He said, giving a half-smile.

The three looked over the destruction that happened.

He looked and saw the girls were about to cry, as he sighed, smiling.

"What are we going to do...It took us so long just to get this…" Nia said, tears in her eyes.

"Everythings gone! All our important stuff, gone!" Lily said, practically sobbing.

Joe looked at them, and shared in their loss, hugging them both.

He looked at the girls.

"Well, looks like you'll need a place to stay…" He said.

"But where!? We'll have to work for days to get another shelter! We were surprised to even get this far!" Nia yelled at Joe.

Joe flinched at this, rubbing Nia's head again.

"We have to find a new home…" Lily sadly said.

Joe was genuinely surprised at their reactions. Usually Nia was cool-headed about har situations, and Lily usually shrugged problems off. He could feel their frustration and anguish.

He then placed his hands on their hands.

"How about you two stay over at my place?" Joe asked, smiling in a matter to cheer them up.

The girls looked at them, surprised.

"W-What?" Nia asked.

"I'll let you guys stay over at my place. I can get some materials for beds, and I'll make you guys a room if you want." Joe said, grinning.

The girls were speechless.

"You...You would do that?" Lily asked.

"Of course. Cupa and Andr had no where to go, and I let them in. Besides…" He said, looking at them. "I never turn my back on friends." He said, smiling.

The girls were silent.

"So? What'll it be? Stay with me and your friends, or venture out for a new home?" Joe asked.

"W-Well…" Nia stuttered.

Lily then instantly tackled Joe, hugging him and rubbing her face against joe's.

"Thankyouthankyouthankyou!" Lily squealed in happiness.

Joe chuckled, as he hugged Lily back.

"What about you, Nia?" Joe said, as Lily rubbed her face on Joe's more.

Nia was silent, but spoke.

"...Alright…" She said.

Joe then sat up, with Lily still hugging him.

He offered his free arm to Nia.

"Come on, get in here." He said.

Nia then hesitated, but slowly took his hand, in which he pulled her in towards him, and embraced her.

"H-Hey!?" Nia said, madly blushing.

"Calm down, I know you're happy!" Joe said, holding both girls.

Nia was silent, having a pouting face. She then hugged Joe back, as him and Lily laughed together. She then smiled, as she felt the warmth from Joe's embrace.

* * *

A half-hour passed, as the three walked out, Lily leading, more happy than usual.

Nia hanged in the back, as Joe walked behind Lily.

He turned over to Nia, who was looking down.

"You alright?" He asked.

"Its...just been a crazy day for us…" Nia replied.

"Well, it'll all get better. I'll make us a big dinner to welcome you two." Joe said, smiling.

Nia went pink. "R-Really?" she asked.

"Of course! You two had a hell of an experience." Joe said back.

Nia went red, as she smiled.

"T-Thanks…" She said.

"No problem at all." Joe said, smiling back.

Nia then pulled out her Wayfinder, and smiled, holding it tight.

They walked on until they reached Joe's home, in which Cupa opened the door.

"H-Hey, what happened?" She asked.

Joe smiled guiltily, as he rubbed his head.

Cupa looked at Joe, and noticed a hint of red in his hair.

"J-Joe-kun, you're bleeding! A-And what happened to your clothes!?" She asked.

"Let's say a 'relative' of yours visited, and he had quite the 'explosive' personality" Joe said, still smiling guiltily.

Cupa gasped. "W-Well, lets get everyone in, and I'll get that cut of yours treated." She said, as she moved to let Nia and Lily in.

Joe followed after, as he closed the door.

Joe went upstairs, with Cupa following him.

"H-Hey, what happened?" Andr asked, confused.

"Crazy stuff...I'll explain later." Joe said, as Cupa followed him upstairs. "Lily, Nia, if Cupa and Andr are willing, you could rest in their beds again while you wait."

Cupa and Andr then both nodded at Lily and Nia, who nodded in return. They then slipped back into the beds they used the previous night, and drifted off to sleep, as Andr blinds on the windows that Joe made of string and wood.

* * *

A few moments pass, as Joe and Cupa were sitting on his bed. He was now shirtless, with bandages over his body and head.

"So, Nia-chan and Lily-chans home were destroyed by another Creeper…" Cupa said, bandaging Joe's slightly burned arm.

"Yeah, it was crazy...at least their not hurt…" Joe said back.

"So...You shielded them? I noticed the girls didn't have a scratch on them…" Cupa said.

"Of course I did. Remember what I said?" Joe asked, smiling.

"'_I will risk my life for my friends'..._" Cupa recited, looking down.

"Yep. Friends are important to me. They matter to me more than I do to myself." Joe said.

Cupa was silent. "But...where will they live?"

Joe sighed. "I said they could stay here. I'll build them some beds, and if they want, I'll build them their own room." Joe said, still smiling.

"W-What?" Cupa asked.

"They have no place to go, and I refuse to turn my back on friends. Why do you think you and Andr are here?" Joe asked, looking away from Cupa.

Cupa looked down, the bandages in her hands.

"Cupa?" Joe asked.

In that moment, Cupa pulled Joe into an embrace, hugging him from behind.

"C-Cupa?" He asked.

She wrapped her arms tightly around him, as her body pressed against Joe's back.

"Your kindness has no limits, I swear…" Cupa said.

Joe went a bit pink, as he chuckled.

"I care about my friends. I'll never turn them away." He said, chuckling.

Cupa held Joe close to her, smiling.

"H-Hey, Cupa?" Joe asked.

"Yeah?" Cupa asked in return.

"I'm a bit tired from this, my back and head are killing me...I think I'm gonna rest a bit…" Joe said.

Cupa let go of Joe, as he faced her. She was silent.

"Cupa?" he asked.

She raised her head, looking at Joe.

"Could...Could…"Cupa stammered.

Joe tilted his head in confusion.

"Could...I join you?" she asked.

Joe then went red, as he scratched his aching head.

"Er…" he said.

He saw the hopeful look on her face, and noticed she was using her puppy-eyes.

He sighed. "A-Alright…" He said, looking away.

Cupa then smiled, as she hugged Joe again.

"Ow, ow...careful…" Joe said, wincing in pain.

Cupa then loosened her grip. "S-Sorry…"

They then heard steps from the stairs, and saw Andr looking upstairs.

"I-Is everything alright?" She asked.

She noticed the bandages on Joe's body, and gasped.

"A-Are you okay!?" Andr said, running to Joe.

"Y-Yeah, I'm alright…" Joe said, smiling at Andr.

"He was about to rest, and I'm going to look after him just in case." Cupa said.

Andr was silent.

"Could...Could…" Andr stammered.

Joe sighed. "Yes, you can join me as well…" Joe said, blushing.

Andr then smiled, and nodded.

Joe then laid back on the bed, relaxing himself.

He was then joined by Andr and Cupa, who laid along with Joe, just like this morning.

He sighed.

_Man, I think I just reached a limit on crazy…_

He could feel Andr and Cupa snuggling against him, as he turned red.

"Night, Joe-kun…" Cupa and Andr both said, smiling.

Joe sighed again. "Night…" He said, as he then heard tiny snores from the girls.

He laid his head back, and closed his eyes.

_No...I broke the limit…_

* * *

**It is currently 6:00 AM typing this. I'm tired. But the good news is I have all three updates done today. If you like my other fics, then I'm happy to say those are ups as well. If you're following me and my stories, then you would have known by the Emails, but i still wanted to say it.**

**Anyways, thank you for reading, I'll see you in the next chapter.**


	13. Winter's Kiss

**Well, I hope you all had a wonderful Holidays, I know I sure did.**

**New tech and such, and a new fic out as well!**

**Anyway, you're probably here for the next chapter, so please…**

**Enjoy.**

* * *

About a week has passed since Nia and Lily's home was destroyed. They were now living with Joe, much to their surprise.

After Joe had healed from the explosion, he had built a whole room for the two spider girls, according to their wishes.

Beds, a chest, paintings...It looked almost exactly like their home in the cave, but it was a lot warmer, cozier, and it made the two girls more safe than back in the cave.

Joe had awoken that day to a cold shiver, as he sat up in his bed, warming his arms.

"W-Why's its s-so c-c-cold…?" He said, shivering from the cold.

He looked over to his window, and noticed it was foggy.

He risen out of bed, and walked towards his window. He used his sleeve to wipe of the fog, and was surpised to see what he was looking at outside.

"Holy crap! It's snowing! I didn't know it could snow!" Joe said, awestruck at the sight.

It was a slight flurry, with everything enveloped in snow. It was a gentle fall of snow surrounding the landscape.

Joe absolutely loved the snow, much more than rain. It was his favorite weather, because he got to wear his favorite sweaters all the time.

He then realized it was still cold in his room, as he shivered. He walked over to his bed, slipped on his sweater, and started for downstairs.

* * *

Much to his surprise and amusement, when he looked around downstairs, he saw all four girls huddled around the fireplace, all covered in blankets.

"Cold, isn't it?" Joe teased.

"It's freezing! Don't joke like that!" Nia snapped back.

Joe chuckled, as he walked to the fireplace.

"I'm guessing you don't take the cold too well?" Joe asked.

"N-Not really…" Cupa replied, tightly gripping the blanket wrapped around her.

"Well, with the way you all dress, I can see why…" Joe said, grinning.

The girls then looked at him.

"Whats wrong with the way we dress?" Andr asked.

"Ever heard of pants?" He said, looking at all the girls' skirts.

Joe had a valid point. Everyone else was either wearing a skirt, or in Cupa's case, just no pants in general.

"W-Well…" Cupa started.

"Alright, I'll see what I can do for better clothes for you all. You all must be freezing." Joe said, as he walked over towards his chest.

The girls watched him, as he rummaged through his chest, hoping to find something suitable.

"Shit…" He whispered to himself. He couldn't find anything, more or less use it to make clothes.

He closed his chest as he sighed. "Well, looks like I'm gonna have to stop by the village to find some supplies." He said.

"D-Don't go out there! You'll freeze to death!" Lily yelled, only to have Joe chuckle at her.

"Don't worry, I'm used to the cold." He said, as he walked to the door and put his shoes on. "I'll be back in about a half-hour, you four keep warm until then."

The girls all then nodded, as they went back to the fire, partially shivering.

This made Joe laugh a bit, as he then walked out into the snow.

* * *

It was perfect to him. The land covered in white, and the snow falling just right.

"Man, views like this never get old." He said, as he walked on in the direction of the village.

He was in total awe at the sight, but it got him thinking.

"Wait, aren't I in a Forest Biome? Then how the hell is it snowing here? Then again, how are most of the mobs women and girls, but I still need to question this world once in a while." He pondered to himself.

In that moment, a slight gust of wind blew towards Joe.

Yeah, he appreciated the weather, but it was the wind that was his least favorite part.

"D-Damn wind…" Joe said, shivering.

"Ah, Joe!"

He looked up to see the village priest a few feet in front of him, standing near a tree. From the look of it, she was collecting apples when she noticed Joe.

"Collecting apples, Colleen?" Joe asked.

The priest then nodded, as Joe walked to her. He didn't notice until we was feet away, but he noticed she had rather warm-looking winter gear on. Gloves, earmuffs, a scarf, boots, she looked absolutely comfortable in her clothes.

This only reminded him of his lack of winter clothes, as he shivered.

"Oh, you're freezing!" Colleen noticed, putting down her basket of apples.

"I-It's n-n-nothing...I-I'll be fine…" He said between shivers.

Colleen then crossed her arms. "Nonsense, You're shivering." She said, then took Joe's hand. "Come with me, I'll get you some warmer clothes."

Joe was then guided by Colleen over towards the village church, as the wind kept Joe freezing cold.

They had walked in, only to have them enveloped in warmth from a fire that was burning in the church fireplace.

Joe shuddered in comfort, as he camped himself next to the fire, warming his hands.

Colleen giggled. "See? I knew you were cold."

Joe chuckled between shivers. "Y-Yeah. I-I was, I-I g-give up…"

Colleen smiled, as she went to her chest. She pulled out a bundle of clothes, and walked over towards Joe.

"Here, these will keep you warm." She said, handing the clothes to Joe.

She handed him a brown jacket, a dark blue scarf, and a pair of gloves, made with leather and wool. He took them, and looked at Colleen.

"T-Thanks, I owe you…" He said, as he put on his jacket. It fit perfectly, as if it was made for him.

Colleen smiled. "Not a problem. You help this village plenty, its the least I could do." She said, then noticed he was having trouble with his scarf.

"Damned thing…" He said, struggling with the scarf.

Colleen then walked over, and helped him put in on right, causing Joe to go pink. He felt warmth all around him, as he fitted his clothes.

"There, all warm?" Colleen asked.

Joe nodded nervously. "Y-Yes, very...Thank you."

Colleen smiled, and nodded. "What were you doing out here, anyway?"

"Oh, I was hoping to find some materials to make the girls some suitable clothes for this weather. With them wearing skirts and all." Joe said, scratching his head.

"Well, that won't do. We don't want your friends cold too." Colleen said, as she went back to her chest.

"Well, could I trade you for any materials?" Joe asked.

Colleen giggled. "You always want to help, don't you?" She asked.

Joe scratched his cheek. "W-Well, its only fair…"

"Well, if you're so bent on helping, I already have clothes for you five done. You noticed that your jacket fits well?" Colleen asked.

Joe went a bit pink. "W-Well...Thanks then, I really appreciate it…"

"Do you really still want to work? Because I'd be more than happy to just give these to you." Colleen said, holding a bigger bundle of clothes, all in an array of colors.

Joe smiled. "Its only fair. You help me, I'll be more than happy to help you."

Colleen smiled back. "Well, if you really want to, could you help me gather apples? We have been getting rather low, and the weather makes them hard to gather…"

Joe made a thumbs-up. "Absolutely."

Colleen nodded, as Joe walked out of the church and into the cold.

The cold didn't bother him anymore, as he laughed to himself.

He then walked over to a nearby tree, and noticed all the good-looking apples were near the top. He sighed, as he knew he would have to get climbing.

"Well, its for the girls…" He said, as he started climbing.

* * *

About a half hour passed, as Joe collected several dozens of apples from many trees. He had trouble keeping them together, he collected so much.

He walked back to the church, and was greeted by a surprised look from Colleen.

"W-Wow, How many did you gather?" She asked, helping Joe carry the apples.

"Enough to last a while. Should be a good trade." Joe said, smiling.

Colleen went a bit pink. "T-This is a little too much for a proper trade. I should make some more clothes for you for this…"

"N-No, no, its alright. This is all plenty to keep us warm" Joe said, smiling.

Colleen smiled back, as she then grabbed the bundle of clothes and handed it to Joe.

"These should keep those girls nice and warm." She said.

Joe nodded. "Thank you very much. I think they will be more than happy."

"Good. Well, you should be off now. They must be freezing." Colleen said, her hands behind her back.

"Judging by the way they looked before I left, they must be. Well, thank you very much, I'll be back for more work if you need me." Joe replied, chuckling.

Colleen nodded, as Joe then turned and started for the door. He waved good-bye, as Colleen did so in return.

He then walked back out into the cold, the bundle of winter clothes in his hands, as he started back for home.

He looked around, as the sight of the snow still amazed him.

"Never get old." He said to himself, as he walked on.

He approached his home, as he noticed the girls still bundled around the fire. He noticed they were laughing, as Nia looked a bit embarrassed. For what, he may never know.

He walked in, announcing his entrance.

"Hey, I'm home. I got some clothes for everyone." He said, holding the bundle of clothes in his arms.

They girls looked over to him, all with excited looks.

"C-Could you bring them here? We're far too cold to move…" Andr asked.

Joe chuckled, as he walked towards the girls, and placed the clothes on the couch.

"Colleen went ahead and made all these winter clothes for us. I think she even got our colors right!" He said, sorting through the clothes.

The girls then looked at the clothes he was wearing. Everyone except Lily went a bit pink as they looked at him.

Joe noticed this, and was confused. "Er...Anything wrong?"

"W-Well...The jacket and scarf looks good on you…" Cupa said.

Joe looked at himself, and was unconvinced. "I-Its just a jacket…"

"You look very….handsome in it." Andr said, smiling.

Joe went red. "W-Well, lets just get your clothes for you…" He said, going back to the clothes.

He handed each girl a jacket, scarf, gloves, and a pair of pants. He also noticed a pair of fuzzy earmuffs for each of the girls. Much to his surprise, he found he was right.

All the colors of the clothes matched them perfectly.

Each girl had a set of warm clothes, as he then stood up and turned the other direction.

"Anything wrong?" Nia asked.

"W-Well, I'm sure you girls want some privacy to put on your clothes. I-I'll be waiting upstairs, tell me when you're done." He said, as he walked towards the stairs and climbed up.

He walked over to his window, as he looked out into the winter wonderland outside.

He then moved his hands inside his gloves, feeling the warmth.

He sighed with comfort. "Man, all this needs is some Christmas specials…"

"Hey! We're done!" Came Nia's voice.

Joe then walked down the stairs, and was surprised at the sight.

He saw all the girls dressed in their winter clothes, all adorned with their pants, jackets, and scarves. He turned bright pink at the sight.

"H-How do we look?" Cupa asked nervously.

"G-Great...You all look great!" Joe complimented, smiling.

All the girls except Lily went red, as Lily grinned.

"Well, lets go outside! The snow is begging to be crunched!" Lily yelled, as she ran towards the door.

"W-Wait! Don't-"

Joe was too late. Lily had already kicked the door open, and sprinted outside.

He sighed. "...Kick the door open…"

Cupa then walked up to Joe. "Looks like Lily-chan's hyped for the snow. Want to go out?" She asked.

Joe chuckled. "I thought you'd never ask." He said, as he smiled at Cupa.

She then smiled back, as she and the other two then walked outside, with Joe following after.

They walked outside, to see Lily jumping around in the snow, as Nia and Cupa ran after her to join her.

Joe walked on, watching the girls frolic in the snow, as Andr stood next to him.

"You don't want to join them?" Joe asked.

"I-I'll be alright…" Andr replied, nervously.

Joe scratched his chin, as an idea popped in his head.

"Want to make a snowman?" He asked.

Andr looked at him, and smiled. "Sure, sounds fun!"

Joe nodded, as he made a snowball, and rolled more snow, building the first part.

Andr did the same, as she then started on the second part of the snowman.

They both rolled large snowballs, as Joe rolled his near Andr's. He helped lift hers on top of his, as they both then thought.

What would go on top?

Joe grew curious. "What if we...I'll be right back." He said, as he ran back into his house.

After a few moments, he came back, with a pumpkin in his hand.

"What's the pumpkin for?" Andr asked.

"I thought it would be a little humorous." Joe said. "Hey! Want to see our snowman?" Joe yelled towards the other three girls.

The three girls looked over at Joe and Andr, and ran towards them.

After everyone was gathered, Joe lifted the pumpkin.

"Alright, now to add the finishing touch…" Joe said as he placed the pumpkin on the unfinished snowman, having the face of the pumpkin face them.

"There, done!" Joe said, as he raised his hand to Andr for a high-five.

Andr returned the high-five, as Cupa gasped.

"H-Hey, why is the snowman glowing?" She asked, pointing at the snowman.

Joe looked over, and found the snowman was glowing, with light shining from it.

The light was blinding, as everyone covered their eyes.

In that moment, Joe felt something hit him in the head, as he fell back and started to black out.

"J-Joe-kun! Are you alright!?" Was all he heard before falling unconscious.

* * *

Joe found himself in darkness again, as the color from his face sunk.

"N-Not another nightmare! I can't take these anymore!" He yelled, as he fell to his knees, covering his ears.

Nothing.

"H-Huh?" He said, as he raised his head.

Much to his surprise, he saw a bright light shining in the darkness.

"W-What?" He asked, as he stood up, gazing at the light.

_Your time shall come…_

Joe jumped at the voice.

"P-Please! Not again!" He yelled, closing his eyes.

_Don't be afraid, He won't do anything this time._

Joe opened his eyes. "W-What? What do you mean?"

_I cannot say much. I do not believe in destiny, but you must be strong when the time comes…_

"Huh? Time? What are you talking about? Who are you?" Joe asked.

_You have a strong heart. I believe you will persevere._

"What are you saying? I don't understand!" Joe yelled.

_Mas...Wa...up…_

"Huh? Who was that?" Joe asked, noticing a different voice.

_It seems its time for you to awaken. Your friends are calling for you._

"A-Awaken?" Joe asked.

The light then grew, cutting through the darkness, enveloping everything in white.

_Your friends shall be your strength. Never forget that._

"W-What are you talking about!?" Joe yelled, as the light grew brighter.

_Awaken._

All Joe could see was complete white, as the light enveloped him.

* * *

"Hey! Wake up!"

Joe groaned, as he awoken, with the girls surrounding him.

He tried to sit up, up found him bound to the ground.

He looked up, and noticed another girl on top of him, her hands on his shoulders.

"Ah! You're finally awake!" The mysterious girl said.

He looked at the girl, and found she had light orange hair, with strands flowing in front of her ears. She had on a large jacket/dress, with three buttons that looked like three stones for a snowman. Her sleeves were brown, with darker brown stripes to look like sticks.

He had noticed she was wearing what looked like a pumpkin for a hat, as she looked at him with a relieved look.

"Y-Yeah...W-Who are you?" Joe asked.

The girl giggled. "I'm your snow woman!" She said, as he tightly hugged Joe, rubbing her face against Joe's.

Joe went red at this, both confused and surprised.

"Y-You're my...Snow woman?" He asked.

"Yeah! You created me, and here I am!" the girl said, as she let go of Joe.

"W-Well, could you get off of me?" He asked, in which the girl did so. He brushed the snow off his clothes, as Cupa went to him.

"Are you okay? You have a bruise on your head…" She asked.

"I'll be fine." Joe replied, smiling. He faced the snow woman. "So, could you tell us your name?" He asked.

The girl tilted her head. "Well, you just made me, so I don't really have a name…What do you think would be a good name, Creator?"

"Er..Creator?" Joe asked.

"Well, you created me! That makes you the Creator!" The girl chirped. "And as the Creator, I shall do anything your heart desires!"

Joe was confused. "A-Anything?" He asked.

"Anything!" The girl replied.

Joe thought to himself, and looked back at the girl.

"Well, first off, I would like you to call me by my name. My name Is Joe. These are my friends, Cupa, Andr, Lily, and Nia." He said, introducing each of the girls.

"Hi!" The girl said, smiling at the girls.

The girls then smiled back, as they all said "Hi" back.

"Now, if you're...living and all, you're gonna need a name…" Joe said, holding his chin with his fingers in thought.

"What do you think would be a good name for her?" Lily asked.

Joe thought for a second, and snapped his fingers.

"I got it!" He said, as he then walked towards the girl. "Snowy."

The girl tilted her head.

"Your name shall be...Snowy." Joe said, smiling.

The girl then smiled, then glomped Joe.

"Yay! I like it!" The girl now named "Snowy" cheered, hugging Joe.

Joe couldn't help but chuckle. as he had Snowy let go of him, and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Welcome to the world, Snowy." He said, smiling.

Snowy then smiled back, as the girls then walked towards her, and greeted her.

"How does the world seem to you, Snowy?" Cupa asked.

"Its all so beautiful! I'm so happy I'm here!" She said, as she pulled all four girls in for a hug.

Joe chuckled at this sight, as he then looked behind him.

He looked out into the snowy landscape, and found everything covered in snow.

He then felt something hit him in the back, as he looked back, and found snowballs in each of the girls' hands.

They all had sly grins on their faces, as they looked at Joe.

"Oh crap." He said, as he was met with a flurry of snowballs flying towards him.

A few hit him, as he then ran towards a tree.

"Alright, this isn't fair!" Joe yelled, as snowballs flew past his face. He peeked around the corner, only to have a snowball hit him in the face.

He wiped the snow off his face, as he stood with his thoughts.

"Alright, Its a snowball fight, that okay, but its five on one, so I'm at a disadvantage here... maybe if I…" He said, but noticed Cupa to his left.

His face froze.

"Er...Cupa?" He stuttered.

Cupa giggled, as she pushed Joe out of his hiding spot, only to have a flurry of snowballs hit him, covering him in snow.

The rest of the time passed, as Joe was able to throw some, but not a lot, while he was bombarded with snowballs.

* * *

"Achoo!"

Joe was sitting in front of the fireplace, bundled up in blankets, shivering.

"Well, that was fun...Until I got sick…" Joe said, with a congested nose.

Joe had gotten covered in snow, giving him a slight cold. It wasn't too serious, but he was sneezing, and had a runny nose.

"S-Sorry there, we got a little carried away…" Snowy said, handing Joe a cup of hot tea.

Joe chuckled. "W-Well, at least you all had fun."

The other girls had slightly guilty faces, as they looked at Joe.

They talked among each other, some taken aback in embarrassment, until it seemed they all reached an agreement

They all walked over to Joe, as Cupa whispered something into Snowy's ear, only for her to smile and nod.

Meanwhile, Joe watched the fire, sipping his tea, when he noticed the girls in front of him.

They all sat on the couch, and sat rather close to him.

"H-Hey, anything wrong?" Joe asked.

"We're gonna warm you up!" Snowy said, as she then sat in Joe's lap, and hugged him around his chest.

"H-Hey, What are you…?" Joe said, only to have his arms constrained by Cupa and Andr, both hugging his arms, and sitting next to him.

He then felt something wrap his calves, as he looked and noticed Nia sitting on the floor, holding both of his legs close to her.

"H-Hey, why-" He said, only to see a pair of arms in front of him, and wrap around his neck. He noticed that they were Lily's sleeves. He looked back to see Lily's grinning face as she held him close.

He turned bright red, as he felt each of the girls wrapped around him of some sort.

"Calm down, we're just trying to warm you up." He heard Lily's voice behind him.

And warmth he felt. His arms, legs, chest, and neck were all enveloped in warmth, much to his surprise.

"You got us these clothes, and we got you sick...So, don't worry about it." He heard Cupa's voice.

"A-And you took us in, room and everything...Its the least we could do…" He head Nia's voice.

"So just enjoy the warmth." Came Andr's voice.

He was silent, as he sighed.

"A-Alright...It's embarrassing, but it's warm…" Joe said, as he relaxed himself.

The six then sat there, all bundled up in front of the fire, as the snow outside kept falling, with everyone smiling in comfort.

* * *

**Well, I hope everyone had a wonderful Holidays, and I would like to thank you all for being so supportive of my stories this year. Its been a great year working with these, and your support has kept me going at some points.**

**I would like to wish everyone a Happy New Year, and I will see you all in 2015!**


	14. Sick Day

**Well, You've been waiting a while for this, and I finally have free time in order to do this. You all have been very patient, and I thank you for so.**

**Enjoy.**

* * *

"I can't believe it…"

The sun was high as the afternoon passed over the snow on the ground, as we see inside Joe's home.

What we see is five beds lined up together, each with a girl in it.

There was Cupa, Andr, Lily, Nia, and Snowy each bundled in a bed. They all had red cheeks, and were sweating, all having wet towels on their foreheads.

"Never knew colds could be that contagious..." Said Joe, who was wringing a towel of water.

Due to the girls' actions with Joe the previous day, they had all miraculously caught Joe's cold. Everyone had a fever and chills, so the girls were bundled in blankets, with towels on their heads to regulate their temperature.

Joe sat on a chair beside Cupa's bed, as he was wringing out and soaking her towel with some water. He stepped over, and gently placed the towel on her burning forehead, as she turned her head to Joe.

"W-We're sorry you have to do this…" Cupa said, weak from the fever.

Joe chuckled. "Don't worry, I've got your backs." He said back, smiling.

Cupa then smiled, as she closed her eyes, trying to return to sleep.

"J-Joe-kun…" came a small, weak voice.

He looked over at Andr, and rushed to her side, kneeling next to her while she laid in bed.

"Need anything?" Joe asked.

Andr was a bit quiet. "C-Could...I get...something to drink?" she asked.

Joe smiled. "Of course, I'll get you something." He said, as he turned around, and walked over near his crafting bench.

Next to his bench, was what looked like a wooden box, filled with ice and snow. It had bottles of milk, water, and tea scattered along the ice.

"Not bad for a makeshift icebox." Joe said, taking out a bottle of milk.

He felt the bottle, to check its temperature.

Ice cold.

He then brought the milk over to Andr, who he helped sit up to drink the liquid.

"T-Thank you…" Andr said, as she made small gulps of milk.

Joe couldn't help but smile, as he patted Andr's head, causing her to smile, with a dash of pink in her cheeks.

"Joe...Could you bundle me more?" came Lily's voice.

He immediately went over to Lily, as he tucked her more, enveloping her in warmth.

"Anything else?" Joe asked.

"No, I'm good…" Lily replied, as she snuggled her head into the pillow, attempting to sleep.

He looked over at Nia, who was shivering in her bed. He walked over to her, and he properly tucked her in, and caressed her head, causing her fall straight asleep.

He couldn't help but chuckle, as he stood up. He then felt a tug on his shirt, as he looked over to Snowy, who had his shirt between her fingers.

"Could...I get some warm tea?" She asked, partially covering her mouth in shyness.

Joe smiled, as he crouched to Snowy's level and patted her head. "Not a problem." He said, as he stood up, and walked over to his icebox.

He picked up a tea bottle, and placed it in the furnace to heat it up. He then poured it inside his mug for Snowy, as he carefully stepped over, not to spill the tea.

The aroma of the tea caressed his nose as he walked over, in which Snowy could smell the tea.

"Here you go." Joe said with a smile, handing the tea to Snowy.

She sat up, and took the mug. "Thank you…" She said, as she sipped her tea.

Joe smiled, as he walked over to his crafting bench, and started going to work on something. The time passed, as everyone was sound asleep.

As he worked, Joe started thinking to himself.

His mind flashed to the moment when he, Cupa, and Andr were having that picnic. He remembered the actions that Cupa did, and went a little pink.

_What...Was Cupa trying to do that day?_

He could remember how her touch felt, and he could remember Cupa's scent when she had her face close to his.

He remembered how close her face was, and how their lips were almost about to meet…

He shook his head, clearing his mind.

_J-Just don't think about it…._ He thought, as he went back to work.

He made the finishing touches, as he looked at his creation.

An orange wayfinder, in the color of Snowy's pumpkin.

"Hope she likes it." He said, as he stood up. He carefully tip-toed through the area of the beds, when he reached Snowy's.

He then took the wayfinder, and hung it on the post of the bed, making sure that she will see it when she wakes up.

He couldn't help but just see how cute all the girls looked like when they were sleeping.

He shuddered.

_What am I, some kind of creeper?...Ba dum tss._

After he was done chuckling at his stupid joke, he walked in the direction of the stairs. He felt a small tug on his shirt again, as he looked over, and saw Cupa holding onto his shirt.

"Cupa? You alright?" He asked.

Cupa seemed to be a bit hesitant with words, as she covered her mouth with her blanket.

"I-I'm...a bit hot…" She weakly said.

"What, you need another towel? Need some air?" Joe asked.

She looked a bit hesitant with her words again, as she seemed to be moving in her bed in an embarrassed fashion.

"N-No..." She said, looking down.

"Well, what could you need?" Joe asked, looking into Cupa's eyes.

She was silent at first, but she raised her head and looked into Joe's eyes.

"Could...Could you help wipe the sweat off me?"

Joe froze. He watched enough anime and such to know about this kind of situation. He went red at the thought.

"Er...well...I..." He said, looking around, his hand on his head.

"E-Everyone else is asleep...and I can trust you…" Cupa said, red as a beet.

This tugged on Joe's heartstrings. She trusted him? THAT much?

"W-Well...If theres no other choice…" Joe said, looking down, scratching his head.

Cupa hid herself under her blanket in embarrassment, as Joe stood up.

"M-Maybe...We should do this upstairs, just in case the others wake up…" He said, looking towards the stairs.

"R-Right…" Cupa said, as she practically limped out of bed.

Joe sighed, as he went over to her, and picked her up, carrying her bridal style.

"J-J-Joe-kun!?" Cupa practically yelled, almost waking the others.

Joe immediately brought a finger to his lips, signaling silence. "You can't go up there by yourself. The fever will make you drowsy. Just let me handle it." He whispered.

Cupa then nervously nodded, as Joe carried her towards the stairs.

Along the way up, Cupa couldn't help but nuzzle herself in Joe's chest as he walked up. She felt she could fall asleep right there.

They reached the upstairs area, as Joe sat Cupa on his bed.

"I-I'll be right back...I'll go get a towel and water…" He whispered, pointing downstairs.

Cupa nodded, as she sat patiently, as Joe walked downstairs.

He reached the downstairs area, and he grabbed the bucket of water, along with the towel. He sighed to himself.

"The hell am I supposed to do now...I might have a nervous breakdown by the time she's clean…" Joe whispered to himself.

He tried to clear his mind, by taking a scooping some water with his hand, and splashing his face. The coolness of the water cooled him a bit, but it didn't help by that much.

"A little better…" He said to himself as he shook his head, water dripping off of his bangs.

He then took some deep breaths as he walked upstairs.

He looked over to the bed, and found that Cupa practically didn't move an inch.

"D-Did you wait long?" He said.

She giggled. "Its only been like, thirty seconds." She said.

"Oh...right." Joe chuckled.

He then walked over to his bed, and sat next to Cupa.

"C-Could you just get my back? I can handle my front…" She said, as she turned away from Joe.

"R-Right…" Joe said, as he wet the towel, and handed it to Cupa.

He then faced the opposite direction of Cupa as well, looking at the wall.

_It's only the back, no need to feel stressed…_

**Zip.**

_Okay, now's the time to panic…_

Joe listened to what Cupa was doing behind him, making him more nervous than before. He heard her zipping down her sweater, listening to the towel and water slosh against her skin. The images running through his mind were driving him crazy, as he felt Cupa toss an article of clothing onto his bed.

He looked over, and saw it was her green sweater, and he turned as red as a cherry at this.

He never really knew what was under that sweater, so for all he knew, she could be topless right now.

_I'm sure she has a bra on, so just don't panic, just calm down…_

He then heard an article of clothing hit his bed again, as he looked over towards the sweater, and saw what looked like a dark green tank-top.

_Don't panic, don't panic, don't panic…_

In that moment, he heard another clothing article added to the pile.

A small, black sports-bra.

_SHIT…_

"J-Joe-kun…"

He jumped at this voice, as he raised his head.

"Y-Y-Yeah?" He asked, shaking in embarrassment.

"C-Could...You get my back now?"

The color disappeared from Joe's face, as he weakly responded.

"S-S-S-Sure…"

He then turned around, and the sight made him almost fall off the bed.

He saw Cupa's bare back, glistening with sweat on it. She faced away from Joe, so he couldn't see her front, but he was about to breakdown just looking at her bare back. He could also see the back of her sunset orange hair, which he didn't see often.

"G-Go ahead…" Cupa beckoned, in which Joe nervously took the towel. His hands shook, as he soaked the towel and wringed it.

"A-Alright...Be ready…" Joe said, preparing himself, towel in hand.

He saw Cupa nod, as she seemed to brace herself. He brought the towel close to her, just inches away.

"A-Ah~!" Cupa moaned slightly, as the towel touched her back.

"D-D-Don't make noises like that!" Joe whispered in surprise.

"S-Sorry...It just took me by surprise is all…" Cupa said, looking down.

Joe sighed, as he started wiping the towel around her back.

The sensation of the cold towel on her back gave Cupa a slight sense of pleasure, almost as if caressing her. She made a few slight moans, and flinched a few times as Joe wiped her back.

After a few moments, Joe took the towel off her back, and dropped it in the bucket.

"T-There...B-Better?" He weakly said.

Cupa nodded again, as she reached for her clothes, in which Joe immediately turned around, facing the wall opposite of Cupa.

He looked at his hand he used the towel with, thinking of the sensation.

_Good lord, this is embarrassing…_

He then heard Cupa fitting her clothes back on, finishing with a large zipper sound made.

"A-All done?" Joe asked.

"Y-Yes…" Cupa said.

Joe then turned around, and much to his relief, she was fully clothed, but she still had a red face from her fever.

"Here, lets get you back downstairs." Joe said as he stood up.

"Y-Yeah…" Cupa replied, as she braced herself for Joe to carry her again.

Joe then did so, and felt Cupa nuzzle her head in Joe's neck again. "F-Feel better?" He asked, still a bit red.

He felt Cupa nod, as he walked downstairs, Cupa in his arms.

He walked down, and continued over to her bed, in which he laid her on, and tucked her in bed, making sure to wrap her cozily.

"W-Well, you get some sleep now. Colds don't cure themselves." Joe said, smiling a bit.

Cupa then smiled back. "Thank you...You always help us, even when it hurts you…"

Joe made a thumbs up, as he looked at Cupa.

"I'd give my own life for a friend. After all…" He said, as he looked up at the ceiling. "...I owe my friends my life…"

Cupa tilted her head in confusion. "What do you mean?"

He simply rubbed Cupa's head, as he looked at her. "I mean that I value my friends more than myself. They are the world to me. You guys are no exception."

Cupa went a bit pink, but couldn't help but feel happy, as she smiled happily. She looked at Joe. "Hey, I need to tell you something." She said.

"Yeah?" Joe asked in return.

Cupa waved her hand in a way to have Joe move his head closer, as if to tell a secret. He moved his head so he was inches away from her face.

"What?" Joe whispered.

In that moment, Cupa gave him a quick peck on the cheek, throwing him off guard.

He felt the cheek Cupa kissed, as he looked at her smiling face, as she wrapped herself in her blanket.

"Goodnight, Joe-kun…" Cupa said, before eventually drifting off to sleep.

Joe was still a little taken back at her kiss, feeling his cheek. He went a bit red in embarrassment, as he scratched his chin.

"N-Night...Cupa…" He said, before turning around.

He couldn't quite know what he was feeling. Happiness? Embarrassment? He didn't quite know.

All he knew is that he was tired, as he walked upstairs.

His mind just couldn't let go off the kiss, as he reached his bed. He took off his shoes and sweater, as he sat on his bed.

"Man…" He said, to himself, as he laid down, and brought the blanket over himself.

He sighed, as he closed his eyes. When he did, all he could see was Cupa kissing his cheek.

It slightly put him at ease, as he drifted off to sleep.

The house was soon then quiet, as everyone was off into sleep, as the night moon illuminatedall with light.

* * *

**And I have no idea how It took me this long, I've just been a bit busy...I'm sorry for any waiting, you all have my sincerest apologies.**

**Thank you, and I'll see you in the next chapter.**


	15. Archer Maiden

**Well, I hope you're excited, because I'm making a rather long chapter again. Its alright. I don't need sleep.**

**Well, not **_**that **_**much.**

**Actually I do, but overnights the only time I have free time to type this, so I hope you can understand.**

**Anyway, I'm done talking, its not what you're here for.**

**Enjoy.**

* * *

The next day rolled around, as the sun started to shine, but there was still a nip of cold in the air.

We can see Joe stepping out of his home, and enjoying the morning sun. He then shivered a bit, because it was still slightly cold.

"Alright, everyone should be better now, maybe I can go back mining. maybe I can find some more diamonds, because I only have one left...and I'm not using it on a jukebox." He said to himself, stretching his arms.

He then popped his neck, as he walked back into his home. He stepped over to his chest, and took out some paper, ink, and a feather. Leaving a note would make the girls worry less, was what he thought.

_Went out mining, will be back by sundown._

_ -Joe_

He grabbed his gear from his chest, and made sure to bring extra bandages just in case. The last time he went mining, he almost lost his life, so he took extra precautions.

"Two Iron pickaxes, check. Two Iron swords, check. Iron axe, check. Bow and plenty of arrows...check." He said, looking over his equipment, making a mental checklist. "Plenty on food and water to keep me fed and watered, check."

He put on his jacket, but left his scarf off, but kept his gloves. He thought he should bring them, to protect his hands while mining or climbing.

He packed all his food and such in his bag, sheathed his sword on a makeshift sword sheath he strapped on his back, and kept his pickaxe on a leather belt loop.

"Heh. I kinda feel like someone from Skyrim. Huh. Speaking on that, I wonder if the console version has SkyCraft yet...Man, I need to stop talking to myself." He said to himself, as he fitted everything on him.

He then looked back into his chest, and noticed a block of TNT he made. He pulled it out, and pondered it.

"Just in case." He said, placing it in his bag.

He stepped over to his front door, as he looked over towards the girls, all sleeping in their beds.

"Maybe if I find some emeralds, or Lapis, I can make some gifts. I think they'd like that." He said to himself. "There I go, talking to myself…" He repeated, stepping out the door.

* * *

He looked out into the horizon, watching the sun rise, breathing in the fresh air.

"Never gets old." He said to himself. He always liked vanilla Minecraft, untouched by Forge or Mods, because he always thought they would stain the experience.

He walked along a path he made with torches towards the cave, passing them one by one.

Along his way, he took in the sights he sees everyday, but he felt they don't get old. Going into another world was always a daydream he has at least everyday when he was in the real world.

He walked for a few moments, until he reached the mouth of the cave, which he made some slight decorations to.

And by slight decorations.….Huge, obvious decorations were better fitting words.

He made stairs, torches, and flames to decorate. He didn't know why, but when he was decorating, he had the image of the Gates of Hell in mind.

And to him, it looked on the dot.

He stopped in front of the doors he made, as he rose his hands.

"Aperta, Inferorum Portae!" He yelled.

A small moment of silence passed, as he snickered to himself.

"I read too much Alighieri." He said to himself, as he opened the doors, and walked through.

The plunged deeper in the cave, following another path of torches, illuminating the way.

"Maybe theres some iron I missed, or maybe more diamonds...I'm kinda asking for a lot at this moment, I don't want to find another cave…" he said, looking at nothing but stone. He sighed. "One can hope…".

He eventually stumbled upon some iron veins, and was able to mine plenty of iron.

Continuing along the cave, he found Lapis, more redstone, and a plethora of coal.

"Well, Lapis for the girls, check." He said, placing the stones in his bag.

In that moment, he heard a very recognizable groan, and clinks.

"Dammit, not again…" He groaned to himself, pulling out his sword.

After a few moments, he saw the zombies and skeletons walk through a hole in the cave, as he readied himself for combat.

The first zombie lunged at him, but he was able to dispatch it quickly, with one quick slash across the chest, almost halving the zombie.

He noticed a skeleton readying its bow, as he pulled the next zombie, using it as a shield from the arrow. After stabbing the zombie, and throwing it down a nearby hole, he was able to pull out his own bow, but another skeleton had it's bow ready, as he jumped out of the way, landing behind a block of stone.

"Alright….three….two…" He said to himself, as he rose over the edge of the block, and shot the arrow, piercing a skeleton in the head, killing it instantly.

He put away his bow, as he pulled out his sword, and axe, one in each hand. He charged at the remaining skeleton and two zombies. He jumped forward, plunging his sword in the head of a zombie, and chopping off the head of the last skeleton with his axe.

All that remained was the one last zombie, limping towards him.

"Wonder if I could do Mifuyu's move…" He said, crossing his arms with his weapons in his hands behind his head, like some kind of video game character.

He looked over at the zombie, as he stepped forward towards it. He then swung both arms at once, slashing the zombie with both weapons in an X-shaped fashion.

The zombie stood still, as its arm fell off, along with its head. The body of the zombie then collapsed, as Joe slashed the air with his weapons, clearing the zombies' blood off.

He sheathed both his weapons, as he looked over the bodies of the monsters.

"Damn, I'm good." He said to himself, thinking his practice definitely paid off.

He cracked his knuckles, as he walked forward.

* * *

He walked on, until he reached the remains of Lily and Nia's former home, sighing at the ruins.

"At least their happy now." He said, thinking of the girls back home.

He walked past the destroyed entrance, when he noticed something inside the ruins.

He looked over, and found a person, who seemed to be crouching over, in what seemed angst.

He stepped towards the person, and noticed it was a girl.

"Hey, Excuse me?" He said to the girl.

The girl turned around, showing her face to Joe.

Joe then froze. He noticed the girl had grey eyes, and two pigtails trailing off her dark silver hair.

What got to him, was the hat she was wearing. It seemed similar to Andr's hat, but this was grey, and had the eyes and mouth of a skeleton.

He also couldn't help but notice that her clothes were….rather revealing.

She wore a pair of grey stockings, and shorts that were just way too short. They almost looked like underwear. He could see she had gloves that reached past her also had on what looked like the top of a short sleeved vest, but it was mostly unzipped, as the flaps covered her rather...large breasts.

He could fully see her naple, and the underneath of her breasts. It just seemed so close to fully exposing them.

He went a bit pink, as he looked away.

"D-Did you need any help?" He asked.

The girl looked over at him, then looked down.

"You…" The girl muttered.

"Excuse me?" Joe asked, tilting his head in confusion.

The skeleton girl then pulled out a bow out of seemingly nowhere, and aimed an arrow at Joe.

"You did this! You destroyed their house!" She cried, aiming at Joe.

"Huh?" Joe said, slightly shocked at this reaction.

In that moment, the girl shot the bow, and from some luck, Joe was able to duck out of the way.

"Woah, Jesus!" He said, only to have more arrows fly towards him.

He sprinted in the other way, taking cover behind one of the destroyed walls.

"H-Hey! Cut that out! Thats dangerous!" Joe yelled behind cover.

"You probably killed them too! You damned human!" The girl yelled, shooting more arrows in Joe's direction.

Joe was slightly shocked at the girl's statement.

"I don't know what you're talking about!" Joe yelled back, peeking over the corner.

The girl seemed to be offended, as she strung another arrow. "You know who I'm talking about! The two spiders!" the girl yelled.

It then hit Joe.

"W-Wait...Do you mean Lily and Nia?" Joe asked, peeking over the corner.

The girl then grew confused. "H-How do you know their names!? Did you ask them before killing them!?"

"K-Kill? N-No, I-" Joe said, but was interrupted but an incoming arrow. "Shit that was too close…" He said to himself.

"Come out, human!" the girl yelled.

Joe then rose his head out of cover, looking at the girl. "Look, if you'll just give me five seconds to explain, I'll-SHIT!" Joe yelled, as another arrow barely missed his face.

"What do you have to explain!?" the girl said, readying another arrow.

"T-They're not dead! They're alive! A-And safe!" Joe yelled out.

The girl's face widened, as she loosened her bow.

"What are you talking about?" The girl asked, keeping an arrow strung.

"Their home was destroyed by an explosion by a Creeper! Not me! I would never do that!" Joe answered, hiding behind cover.

"Liar!" The girl screamed, re-stringing her bow.

"I-I'm not lying! They're at my home, right now, as we speak!" Joe said back.

The girl seemed to relax a tad, but still had her suspicions.

"Did you kidnap them!?" The girl cried out, unsure.

"What!? No! I offered them! I-I'm the reason they're alive!" Joe replied back.

The girl seemed to relax a tad more. "You? A human?"

"I-It may seem a bit suspicious, but I mean no harm! I promise!"

The girl still had her suspicions, as she yelled out.

"Prove it!"

Joe sighed. He removed his weapons and tools, and took off his backpack, leaving only him unarmed. He then rose his hands out, showing he had nothing in his hands.

"See? I wont hurt you! Or the girls!" He yelled out.

A small moment of silence passed, as the girl spoke.

"Move from your cover."

"Shit…" Joe whispered to himself, as he stepped out of cover, his hands still out.

"You say they're safe?" The girl asked.

"O-Of course, they're friends of mine…" Joe replied. "I-I'll take you to them if you'd like…"

Another moment passed, as the girl lowered her bow.

"Alright. I'll take your word." She said.

Joe sighed in relief, as he lowered his hands.

"But. I don't fully trust you. Not until I see them." She demanded.

Joe nodded. "Sounds fair." He said, as he picked up his gear, and walked towards the girl.

Much to his surprise, he still stood taller than the girl, but she was off by a few inches.

"Now. Bring me to them." The girl demanded, only to have Joe nod in return.

In that moment, a sound of something whizzing through the air shot out, as a what looked like an arrow stuck in a wall of stone close to the two.

This surprised both, as they looked over to the arrow, and where it came from.

They saw a group of skeletons and zombies together, outside the outer part of the ruins.

"F-Friends of yours?" Joe asked, frozen.

The girl looked at the skeletons in concern, as he watched them all string arrows.

"Get down!" The girl yelled, as she tackled Joe to the ground, as a stream of arrows barely missed them. They landed behind a few blocks of stone to cover themselves from the arrows.

They laid on the ground, with the girl on top of Joe, practically straddling him, her breasts in his face.

"Why are they firing on us?" The girl asked, looking past the cover at the group of monsters.

Meanwhile, Joe was as red as a beet, as the girl's breasts where being stuffed on his face, practically suffocating him.

"C-Can't….Breathe…." Joe managed to say, struggling to breathe between her breasts.

The girl realized his face as in her breasts, as she turned red, and sat up, covering herself. "Y-You keep your face out of these!"

"You landed on me!" Joe yelled back in defense. "Look out!" Joe yelled, as he turned himself and the girl, an arrow barely missing her.

Now they were in an even more risque position, with Joe on top of the girl, in a missionary position.

"N-Now what are you doing!? The girl screamed, her face red all over.

"Making sure you didn't get shot! Calm down!" Joe said, as he tried reaching for his own bow.

He didn't realize that his hand was touching the girls inner thighs, causing her to moan a bit.

"D-Don't touch there!" She yelled in Joe's face.

"I'm sorry! I'm trying to get my bow!" Joe yelled, moving his hand more, only to have it rub the girl's thighs even harder.

"J-Just get off!" The girl yelled, pushing Joe off, allowing her freedom.

They both pulled out their bows, and each strung arrows.

"Why are they shooting at us? Aren't you one of them?" Joe asked.

"I-I don't know! Maybe they think I'm working with you!" The girl replied.

"You are! Maybe they think you're against them now…" Joe thought, gripping his bow.

"Well, If we just stay here, we're as good as dead. Ready on three!" The girl yelled, gripping her bow.

Joe nodded, as he looked over the cover.

"One...Two….Three!" The girl counted, as her and Joe rose out of cover and shot their bows, both arrows hitting their mark on skeletons' heads.

They kept firing, pulling out arrows, and firing them, while dodging incoming arrows themselves.

They crouched below cover, readying themselves.

"Not a bad shot." The girl complimented.

"Not a green collar yourself." Joe replied, as he shot his bow into the head of another skeleton.

"Theres not that much left, just keep firing!" The girl yelled, shooting her bow.

What seemed like eternity passed, as they seemed to be getting nowhere. they kill one, another takes their place.

"There's too many!" The girl yelled ducking behind cover.

"And we're getting low on arrows!" Joe yelled back, looking at his quiver.

"What are we going to do!? We can't do anything!" The girl cried in despair.

Joe looked around, and noticed his bag. He grabbed it, as he rummaged through it.

Then the idea hit him.

"I got it!" Joe yelled.

The girl looked at him. "What are you talking about!?"

In that moment, Joe pulled out the small block of TNT out of his bag.

"I've got an idea." Joe said, as he grabbed an arrow with his other hand.

"What are you doing!?" The girl cried in Joe's face.

Joe then stuck the arrow in the TNT, piercing it.

"Ever heard of a Bomb Arrow?" Joe asked, making a joking smile.

"Are you crazy!?" The girl yelled, appalled at Joe.

Joe strung the bomb arrow on his bow, as he pulled out his flint and steel.

"Better than nothing!" He yelled, as he lit the fuse on the TNT. "Get down!" He yelled, as he aimed the arrow at the group.

The girl then took cover, covering her ears.

"Good god, I've gone insane…" Joe said to himself, aiming his bow.

He waited until he had a perfect aim, as he yelled out:

"Checkmate, fuckers!"

He then shot the arrow, sticking it in the head of a skeleton.

The fuse burned in the skeleton's head, in which Joe ducked down, and held the girl close.

"W-What are you doing!?" The girl yelled, turning red.

"Just shut up, and get down!" Joe yelled back.

In that moment, the fuse hit the TNT, causing it to explode.

The explosion engulfed the monsters in fire, burning the monsters.

There was then only silence.

The two looked over their cover, and saw the group gone.

"Holy shit, that worked!" Joe laughed.

The girl had an excited expression, as she looked over at the aftermath.

"It worked! It worked!" The girl said, hugging Joe tight. _Really _tight.

Joe struggled to breathe, trying to pry the girl off.

"C-Can't...breathe again…" He struggled to say, crushed from the girl's embrace.

She realized her action, as she let go of him, causing him to gasp for air.

"S-Sorry…" The girl apologised.

The two then rose, and stepped out of their cover, looking over the aftermath.

"Well, thats over…" Joe said, sighing in relief.

"Thank goodness…" The girl said, sighing as well.

Joe then looked over at the girl. "Say, I never really got your name. I'm Joe. Nice to meet you." He said, extending his hand.

The girl smiled, as she took it.

"Ria."

Joe's face brightened. "Oh, you're Ria?" He asked. "Lily has told me a lot about you."

"Yeah, she tends to do that." Ria said, smiling.

Joe smiled back, as he noticed something behind her.

It was half a skeleton, readying an arrow.

"Look out!" Joe said, pulling Ria in front of him, facing away from the skeleton, shielding her.

The skeleton shot its arrow, as it flew by, and stuck on Joe's back.

He cried out in pain, with Ria looking into his face.

"J-Joe?" She asked.

The skeleton that shot the arrow then collapsed, presumably from death.

Joe winced in intense pain, with the arrow sticking out his back.

"Almost...Got you…" He managed to say, before collapsing himself.

Ria saw the arrow in Joe's back, as she gasped in horror.

"W-Why did you do that!?" She yelled, supporting him.

"It….would have hit...your heart…" He replied weakly.

Her face grew more horrified, as she started to tear up.

"Y-You….You…" she snivled, tears dropping from her eyes.

Joe then felt his body weaken, as he dropped his hand to the ground.

Ria noticed this, gasping. "J-Joe!" She yelled, turning Joe on his side. "Stay with me! Don't die on me!"

He felt his consciousness leaving him, as the last few moments he witnessed before blacking out was Ria's teary-eyed face above his.

* * *

Darkness.

Darkness was all he could see.

Joe was sitting down criss-cross, with his arms crossed.

He sighed.

"Guess I'm dead." He said to himself.

_Guess again._

He recognized this soft voice.

"You again."

_You remember me?_

"How could I not?"

_Thats good to hear._

"So...I'm not dead?"

_Of course not. You merely blacked out._

He chuckled. "I seem to do that a lot."

_Yes, you do._

"I'm guessing you have something to tell me this time?"

_I have no need. I have already told you what you must do._

Joe flinched a bit, as he grew confused.

"You never told me anything."

_I am merely here to guide you. You already know what you must do._

"Huh." Joe said. "I guess I do."

_Just remember. Your friends will be your strength._

Joe rose his head.

"My friends, huh? I think I understand that now."

A ray of light then beamed, cutting through the darkness.

"I understand completely."

The light shined on, eventually engulfing Joe in this warm light.

* * *

Joe awoken from his slumber, and found himself laying on the ground.

"Man, I'll never get used to that…" He said, turning on his back.

Only to have Ria's overly excited face above his.

"J-Joe! You're alright!"

He was surprised at this sight, and found out what his head was laying on.

Ria had him laying his head on her legs while he was out cold.

He turned pink, as he sat up, but had a small sharp pain on his back, causing him to lay back down, his head back on Ria's lap.

He then realized the was topless, with a long bandage wrapped around the top of his back.

"Hey, don't move so quickly. You still need to heal." She said, her hand on Joe's forehead.

Joe was slightly confused.

"D-Did you pull out the arrow?" He asked.

She nodded. "And I bandaged you up."

"But...You were ready to kill me just a few moments ago." Joe said.

"Well, how can I not trust you after doing that?" She replied, smiling.

Joe struggled to remember what he did,as the full memory hit him. He then smiled back.

"Yeah...I guess so…"

* * *

A few hours pass, as Joe was able to stand on his own, despite a small pain. He grabbed his gear, and looked over at Ria.

"Well, ready to go?" He asked.

Ria nodded, smiling.

The two then set off towards the exit of the cave, walking away from the ruins and aftermath of the struggle.

They walked for a few moments, having small conversations along the way.

They eventually reached the exit of the cave, as Joe stepped through the door.

But Ria stayed behind, and looked slightly scared.

"Anything wrong?" Joe asked.

"T-The sun…" She weakly said.

Joe looked to the sky, and found the sun was still out, shining.

"Thats right. Skeletons can't be out in the sunlight." He remembered. He thought to himself, as an idea struck him.

He removed his jacket, and offered it to Ria.

"Cover yourself with this. This should help." He said, offering the jacket.

Ria was a tad surprised.

"D-Don't you need it?" She asked.

"Its cold, but I don't want you dying." He chuckled.

Ria slowly reached her hand out, and grabbed the jacket, shielding herself with the jackets shadow.

"Ready?" Joe asked again.

"Y-Yeah…" Ria said, as she stepped out into the light, but the jacket's shadow kept her from the sunlight, keeping her safe.

Joe smiled, as he walked on, with Ria following after.

They walked along the path of torches through the forest.

Joe shivered from the cold a little, but he didn't want to make Ria feel guilty, so he kept it to himself.

They eventually reached his home, in which Joe saw the girls out in front of the house, playing in the snow.

The first girl to notice them was Lily, as she saw Ria, and had the most excited look on her face.

"Ria-chan!" She yelled, as she sprinted towards the two.

"Ria-chan?" Cupa said, as she looked over, and saw the skeleton girl as well, and ran to Joe and Ria as well.

The other three then ran towards the group, all gathering together.

"Yeah, found her out in the cave. She was over by your former house." Joe said, chuckling.

"I'm glad to see you're okay, Lily…" Ria said, smiling at Lily.

"You're glad? I'm so happy, I can't contain it!" Lily said, glomping Ria.

"C-Careful! This jacket is barely keeping me covered…" Ria said, trying to keep herself covered.

"She's right, we should take this inside." Joe said, patting Lily's head.

Lily slightly pouted, as she let go of Ria.

"Man, I'm freezing…" Joe said, shivering as he walked inside, with everyone following after inside.

They all seated around the fireplace, all engulfed in warmth, giving Ria an opportunity to tell everyone the story of what happened.

"You had an arrow in your back!?" Cupa yelled in extreme worry, holding Joe's arm after hearing Ria's story.

He went a bit pink at this, as he scratched his head.

"W-Well, she would've died if I hadn't…" Joe said, making a guilty chuckle.

This made Ria smile, as she looked over to Joe, who went a bit more pink.

"Well, thats a very bold move of you." Nia said, crossing her arms.

Joe chuckled. "How do you think you and Lily are here?"

Nia went a bit red, as her cheeks puffed a bit.

"Well, everyone's safe, and that all should matter." Andr said, having everyone nod in return.

They all then enjoyed the rest of the evening talking among each other, all warm from their heads to their toes.

* * *

A few more hours pass, as everyone is out asleep, except for Joe, who sat on the couch, looking over the fire.

"My friends will be my strength…" He said to himself, looking at the fire.

He pulled out his wayfinder, and gripped it tighter.

"I think I fully understand it now." He said to himself.

"Hey, Joe?"

He looked over his shoulder, and saw Ria standing behind him, looking at him.

"Can't sleep?" He asked, which was replied of a shake of her head.

"I...Just need to say something…" She said, seeming slightly nervous.

Joe smiled. "Well, take a seat. I'm all ears."

She nodded, as she sat next to Joe on the couch, rather close to him.

"I just want to thank you...And apologize…" She said, looking down.

"Apologize? What for?" Joe asked.

"W-Well...I kind of freaked out, and shot at you…" She replied.

Joe chuckled, and rubbed Ria's head.

"No need to worry. You were just scared is all." Joe replied.

Ria smiled back, then placed her hand on top of Joe's other hand.

"Thank you so much...You put me at ease for my friends, brought me to them, and saved my life, risking your own…" She said, holding onto Joe's hand.

He went a tad red around the cheeks, as he could feel her soft hand.

She scooted a bit closer to him, looking into his eyes.

"You're truly a Hero."

Joe felt a surge of flattery hit him, and him being humble as he is, he slightly denied it.

"W-Well, I wouldn't say-"

He was interrupted by Ria kissing him on the cheek, catching him off guard.

"...That.." Joe managed to say to his surprise.

Ria made a slight giggle, as she stood up.

"Well, I'll be going to bed now. Thank you for building another bed in the girls' room." Ria thanked, slightly bowing.

"N-No-No problem…" Joe replied, rubbing his cheek.

Ria smiled, as she waved to Joe, as she entered the spider girls' room.

Joe was still trying to gather his thoughts, looking over to the fire.

"You know...This is looking a lot like one of those harem manga/anime…." He said to himself, as he laid himself on the couch, looking at the fire.

He sighed to himself, lost in his thoughts.

"Courage from friendship, huh?" He chuckled, as he looked over the crackling fire.

"Sounds...Kinda cool."

* * *

**Six thirty in the morning, my feet are almost frozen.**

**I just hope you can enjoy this, I'm going to sleep.**

**Thank you for your time, I'll see you in the next chapter.**


	16. Beating the Heat

**Heyo. That last chapter was a rather long one, so I want to make a shorter one to give myself a break. I have all these ideas, but not enough time to do so. You can see I kind of have my hands tied.**

**You have been very patient with me, and for that you have my thanks.**

**Enjoy.**

* * *

A few days have passed since Joe met Ria, as the snow finally melted away, and instead, gave way for a massive heat wave across the land.

We see our usual group in the house, all finding ways of beating the heat.

Joe was sitting on the couch, without his sweater, trying to cool off with a bottle of water.

Surprisingly, Cupa and Andr were not wearing their sweaters, and were wearing a green tank top for Cupa and a black shirt for Andr, though they still had skirts on to not show their underwear. They were cooling themselves with pieces of paper shaped like fans.

Snowy had her jacket off, but she had a grey shirt and shorts with accents of orange and white. She sat near an open window to let air inside the house.

Ria seemed to not be having problems, since her clothes were a little too revealing anyway. But the two spider girls begged to differ.

They sat at the table, and they both had their jackets off, but still kept skirts on as well. Only problem was Lily was a little too nonchalant about her pose, revealing her underwear in an attempt to cool down, while Nia was trying to read, but you could see the sweat dripping from her.

"Never had a heat wave this bad..." Joe said, wiping sweat from his forehead.

"We'll die of heatstroke at this rate..." Lily said, shaking her head in an attempt to cool off.

"I can't take it anymore..." Snowy said, taking a drink of her own water bottle.

"Is there any way we can cool off?" Andr asked, fanning herself off.

An Idea sparked in Cupa's mind, as she perked her head up.

"What about swimming?"

Everyone then stopped and looked at Cupa.

"Swimm...ing?" Snowy asked, clueless.

"Swimming? We don't even have swimwear. And I doubt any of you want to go in your underwear." Joe said, placing his bottle against his forehead.

Cupa thought to herself, as she snapped her fingers.

"Colleen!" She exclaimed.

Joe raised his head. "What about her?"

"She made us those clothes for the snow, right? Maybe she could make us some swimwear as well!" Cupa explained.

Joe thought to himself, and went pink.

"E-Er...I guess…Its blazing hot after all…" Joe said, as he stood up. "I guess I could go ask. If I do some work."

"Work?" Ria asked.

"W-Well, Its only fair. I do something for the village, they help us as well." Joe said, as he walked over to the door to put on his shoes.

"D-Did you want us to help at all?" Andr asked.

"Yeah, You do plenty for us. We should do something in return." Snowy agreed.

Joe raised his hands towards the girls, shaking his head.

"Its alright, You girls just keep yourselves cooled off. I'll be back." He said, as he walked out the door.

* * *

He walked a mere two steps before something catching his eye.

And the sight was rather surprising to him.

"Ah, Joe. I was just looking for you."

He saw Colleen, but she was dressed a little different.

She had on a brown, two-piece bikini, on, along with her sandals, a bag, and what seemed like a small pile of clothes.

"C-Colleen!?" Joe exclaimed, covering his eyes. "W-What are you wearing!?"

Colleen looked at herself, and went a bit pink.

"Does it...look bad on me?" She shyly asked.

"N-No! Its looks great on you! Wait! That's not what I meant, I meant-"

"Joe, calm down, its alright. I apologize if I set you off with my outfit." Colleen asked, smiling.

Joe had his hands covering his eyes, with his red face obviously shown. "W-What's with the revealing outfit?"

"Oh, Its my swimwear." She replied.

"H-Huh?" Joe asked, lowering his hands.

"The heatwave is rather unbearable, so we all made swimwear for swimming." She explained, then held out the pile of clothes in her hands. "I made some for you and your friends, along with some towels."

Suprise was an understatement to describe Joe's reaction.

"Y-You...Did that for us?" He asked.

Colleen giggled. "Of course. And consider it free of charge. You helping us with collecting food fed the whole village, so this is repayment." She said, smiling.

"A-Are you sure? Shouldn't I collect something, or help out in anyway?" Joe asked, a bit of guilt surging through him.

Colleen made a slight sigh. "Joe, by taking these, you'll help us by making us feel as ease."

Joe tilted his head to the side, confused.

"This heat wave is unbearable for us all, so it would be a benefit for us if you benefit from these. We don't want you dying from the heat either."

Joe went a bit pink from flattery, as he scratched his head.

"Geez...I didn't know the whole village cared that much…" He said, looking down.

"Of course. Little Emily helped design your trunks, and we should have the colors right for everyone." Colleen said, offering the clothes.

Joe seemed hesitant, but took the pile, smiling.

"T-Thanks...You helped me out a lot…" He said, holding the pile.

Colleen bowed. "My pleasure. We all look forward to your next visit."

Joe bowed back, as Colleen raised herself, and waved, as she set on her way back to the village.

He waved back, as he looked at the pile.

"Good lord, I'm holding a bunch of bikini's aren't I?" He said to himself, turning a tad red.

He turned around, and stepped those two steps back to his door, before entering.

* * *

He stepped in, much to the girls' surprise.

"That was fast." Nia said.

"They had them already made for us. They said its according to color, so I guess you guys can sort them out." He said, before pulling out what looked like his trunks.

They looked like they would be his size, and they were mostly blue, with vertical lines of black and white.

"Huh. They certainly got the colors right…" He said, impressed at the craftsmanship.

He walked over to the couch, as he put the pile on said couch. He then went a bit pink. "I-I'll be upstairs, so you all can change."

"Don't let me catch you peeking!" Nia said, pointing at Joe.

"N-Never!" Joe said back in his defense.

"Well, We won't be long." Ria said, going through the pile.

Joe nodded, as he held on to his trunks, and walked towards the stairs.

On the way up, he saw the girls all go through the pile of clothes until he walked the final step.

He walked to his bed, as he looked at the trunks.

"Hope they fit…" He said, as he slipped off his own clothes naked, and slipped on the trunks.

They fit perfectly.

"What, did they measure me in my sleep?" Joe joked, and slipped on his shirt.

He was done changing, but he was sure that the girls were not.

This was explained by comments he heard from downstairs.

"Geez Ria, yours are huge!"

"Well, you have a nice bottom. You have that going for you."

"You have some nice legs, Andr-chan…"

"H-Hey, don't say that, Snowy-san! At least yours are bigger!"

"Nia looks just adorable in hers!"

"S-Shut up! You're one to talk!"

The images ran through Joe's mind, and he felt his face could boil water.

He shook his head, as he sat on his bed, waiting.

"Weird…" He said, in his thoughts. "I haven't even seen any other men here. Am I the only man here?" He said, laying on his bed.

He laid in his thoughts.

Was he the only man in this world? There was Herobrine, but he has even yet to see him, but he plagues Joe with nightmares.

He shivered at the thought of a female Herobrine.

He sat up, hearing Cupa's voice.

"Joe-kun, we're...R-Ready…"

He walked downstairs, nervous as all hell.

He looked down, and nearly fell off the stairs.

The girls were all grouped up, all wearing their swimsuits.

He looked over them, one by one, analyzing their suits.

Cupa had on a green, one piece suit with a green water cap on, with a design of a creeper on the cap. Her seemed to be very similar to a Japanese female swimwear given by schools, as the upper part was separated from her bottom.

Andr had on a black top that went to her neck, with shoulders being the only visible skin on her torso, besides her abdomen, which was bare. Her bottom was black as well, and frilled along the sides, looking like fins.

Lily had on a black, standard-looking top, with what looked like jewelry of a snake coiled around her left arm. Her bottom looked like a pair of short-shorts, that wrapped around her upper thighs and nether regions.

Nia had on what looked like a teal colored tanktop, but cut to the underneath of the breasts. Her bottom consisted of what looked like teal-colored bloomers that reached just above her upper thighs.

Snowy's took him by surprise a bit, as he analyzed her swimwear. She had on an orange top, with black straps, with her bottom stripped with horizontal lines of white and orange.

Ria's outfit surprised him the most, as he went red at the sight. She had on a grey top, but the bottom of the top was nonexistent, as the straps crossed over each other. Her outfit seemed very similar to her normal outfit, exposing the mid region between her breasts. Her bottom seemed more risque, which comprised of a string along her hips, with a small piece of fabric over her nether regions.

The sight of this all made Joe's face burn up, red as a beet.

"How...do we look?" Cupa asked.

"You all...I...Er…" Joe said, attempting to put simple words together.

Nia seemed to be getting impatient, as she had her arms crossed. "Are you done looking at us yet? Can we get going?"

Joe snapped back to reality, as he nodded. "Y-Yeah, lets go." He said, before leading the girls out the door.

* * *

A few moments pass, as everyone is walking through the forest, on a path Joe made to the lake.

The look of the lake seemed like heaven to the group.

"Let's go!" Lily said, jumping the gun right off, jumping into the water.

Everyone but Nia seemed to laugh a little, as Nia seemed more annoyed.

"Lily-chan seems to be having fun." Cupa said, placing her towel down.

"Yeah, I think I'll go join her. I'm dying from this heat." Joe said, slipping off his shirt.

In that moment, everyone but Lily looked at Joe, and all seemed to be staring at his topless body, with his wayfinder hanging off his neck.

He didn't notice this at first, as he slipped off his shoes, and looked at everyone, confused at their expressions.

"Why are you all looking at me like that?" Joe asked, confused.

They all went red, as they all looked away in embarrassment.

Joe shrugged to himself, as he threw his shirt down, and walked to the edge of the water. He stretched his arms, popping them a little, before diving head-first into the water.

While he was in the water, the girls seemed to be talking among each other.

"Did you see that?" Cupa asked.

"Those abs could chisel stone…" Ria said.

"Those arms look so strong…"Andr mentioned.

Nia seemed to be more annoyed by the moment, as she stepped her foot down. "Can we just get in the water already!?"

Everyone snapped to reality, as they all went their own business.

Joe rose from the water, shaking the water from his hair. "Come on in, the water's great!"

Cupa and Andr then immediately jumped right in after Joe, rising near him.

In that moment, Lily grinned to herself, as she put her hands on Joe's shoulders.

"Gotcha!" She yelled, before dunking Joe into the water.

"H-Hey-blurb blurb-no fair!" Joe laughed between being dunked.

Meanwhile, Nia looked over to Ria, who looked concerned.

"Anything wrong?" Nia asked.

"Is Andr-chan alright? I thought she couldn't touch water…" Ria asked.

"Don't worry, shes fine. Joe made sure the water in our area was treated with certain herbs and such so it won't hurt her." Nia explained. "She's been bathing her for a while, so she'll be fine."

A wind of relief blew over Ria, who took a few steps back.

"You're going to jump in?" Nia asked.

"Why not. It should be alright." She replied, readying herself.

She then ran forward, and jumped in the area the other four were in, but she seemed to over shoot herself, as she flew in the direction of the group.

Lily noticed this, and pointed at Ria. "Incoming!" She yelled, which made everyone in the area besides Joe clear out, who was shaking his head.

He looked up to see Ria's bottom heading straight for his face.

"L-Look out!" Ria said, as he flew towards Joe.

"Huh?" Was what he said, before Ria's bottom hit him smack dab in the face, causing him to plummet underwater under Ria's weight.

Ria rose out of the water in a frantic, looking around herself.

Joe then rose from the water, doing a dead-man's float, but face-up.

"J-Joe!? Joe, Are you alright!?" Ria asked in a panic.

"I-I'm….alright…." He said, before regaining his balance.

Meanwhile, Nia and Snowy were near the shore, both with only half their bodies in the water, as Nia was reading her book, and Snowy looking over the rest enjoying the water.

"Not joining them?" Snowy asked Nia.

"I'm good. I'm really getting into this book." Nia said in return.

Snowy looked over to Joe, who was carrying Cupa on his shoulders, who was chicken fighting with Lily, who was on Ria's shoulders, while Andr was watching.

Lily managed to get Cupa off balance, sending both her and Joe into the water.

They both rose, with Joe carrying Cupa bridal-style from the water. He both looked at eachother, before laughing.

Lily seemed to be celebrating to herself, before being sent into the water from Ria.

She seemed to laugh to herself, before having Joe dive into the water and rise behind Ria, who grabbed her around her waist and threw her into the water with himself.

Snowy smiled to herself, looking over her friends.

She didn't know what to feel, seeing her friends. She was only made just almost a week ago, but she felt she was already part of the family.

Her heart sort of skipped a beat whenever she looked at Joe. She wasn't sure why, but she cared very much for him. He was her creator after all. She didn't know if it was because of that, or she was feeling something else. It bothered her a bit.

But looking over her friends made this seem to fade away, as she relaxed herself into the water.

Her mind then set to Joe, as the water cooled herself off.

* * *

About an hour passed, as Joe seemed to be sitting on the shore, watching everyone, even Nia and Snowy, playing in the water.

"Mind if I sit here?"

He looked over, and saw Cupa standing next to him, looking down at him.

"Not at all." Joe replied, watching Cupa sit next to him.

"Everyone having fun. I'm glad to see that…" Cupa said.

"Yeah, looks like it." Joe said, smiling.

Cupa then hugged her legs, looking over everyone.

"You know, its all thanks to you everyones happy like this." She said.

Joe's face beamed in flattery, as he scratched his cheek.

"Well, think about it. Me and Andr-chan would have either starved or froze if you hadn't taken us in. Lily-chan and Nia-chan had no home after another creeper blew up their home, so you took them in. Snowy-san wouldn't have been birthed into this world, and Ria-chan wouldn't be united with her friends…" Cupa said, smiling at Joe.

"W-Well...I just can't turn my head to someone in need. Its not in me." Joe replied, raising his left knee and resting his left arm on it.

"You saved all our lives…" Cupa said, before moving herself near Joe, and resting her head on Joe's left shoulder.

He went a bit pink at this, as he looked over to his frolicking friends, all playing in the water, their faces brightly smiling.

He then looked down smiling, chuckling to himself, as the sun shined on the swimming area.

"Because you all saved my life…"

* * *

**Six o clock, I'm tired, I need sleep. After cake. Yes, cake, cake is good.**

**I tried to describe their swimsuits as best as possible, but you can look them up online for a better image. I apologize if I couldn't describe this well**

**Thank you for your patience, I look forward to seeing you in the next chapter.**


	17. Going Deeper

**Well, I'm done with my tiny break, so I'm making another rather lengthy chapter this time. Expect some action, and of course, some sex appeal.**

**Enjoy.**

* * *

The sun of the rising next day shined, as we see our group inside the home.

Joe had on his gear, with his backpack, weapon and tool holster, all filled.

The girls, were practically huddled around him, as they all had looks of worry on their faces.

"A-Are you sure you want to keep mining? Its only been a few days since you last went…" Cupa said, looking at Joe.

"I have to. We're running low on coal, and I need to find more diamonds." Joe replied, fitting his gear.

"The coal, we understand. But why do you need diamonds?" Andr asked, slightly concerned at Joe's answer.

"I need it for tools. It'll make work a little better, so I don't nearly die everytime I go gathering." He joked, slightly chuckling.

"D-Do you need me to come with you? I could support you at longer ranges…" Ria asked.

Joe waved his hand in a declining fashion. "It's alright, I'm sure I'll be fine. I've been practicing." He said, patting his bow.

"We're just scared you'll come home beaten and bruised!" Lily exclaimed.

Joe chuckled. "I've been training by myself for a bit. I'll be a little prepared if I get in a fight."

"Do you not understand how worried we are right now!?" Cupa exclaimed, slightly making Joe flinch.

Joe sighed, as he put his hand on Cupa's head.

"Don't worry, I'll come home safe. I promise." He said, smiling at everyone.

The girls all looked down, as Joe adjusted his backpack.

"I'll don't know when I'll be back. Can't really tell time in the caves. But I'll hopefully be back by sundown." He said, looking everyone.

Cupa then walked over to Joe, and pulled something out of her pocket.

She held it out to him, holding it with both hands.

"Here, we thought we should make this for you." She said.

Joe looked at the object, and found it was a small lump of what looked like crushed plants in a small sheet of paper.

"This combination of herbs should serve as a cure for any negative ailments you might experience. Poison, movement impeding ailments, it should cure them." Nia said, crossing her arms.

Joe was a tad surprised, as he smiled.

"Thanks guys. I don't know what I'd do without you." He said, taking the herbs.

He crumpled the paper into a tight ball, and slipped it in his pocket, making sure it wouldn't spill.

"You guys are the best. I'll make a huge feast when I get back, I promise." He promised, smiling.

This excited Lily the most, as she started jumping in the air, yelling "Feast, feast!"

Joe chuckled, as he looked over everyone.

"Dont worry, I'll be back."

He had a unison nod from all the girls as he walked towards his door.

"J-Joe-kun…"

He turned his head back to Cupa.

"...Be careful."

Joe gave a thumbs-up, as he stepped out of his door, into the outside.

* * *

After stepping out of his home, he started on his path towards the cave, still taking in every sight around him.

He walked for a few moments, until he reached the entrance of the cave.

He stepped into the mouth of the cave, and readied his pickaxe.

As he walked through the dimly lit cavern tunnels, he was able to spot more coal and iron ore along the walls of the cave.

But he knew he had to go deeper to reach diamonds, so he descended down the cavern, it getting darker with each step.

As he walked through, he thought he was hearing noises.

He looked behind him, but found nothing.

"Zombie? Skeleton?" He said, gripping his sheathed sword.

There was a small silence, as Joe let go of his sword, and sighed.

"Probably just the wind…" He said, as he continued down his way.

As we walked on, the noises seemed to be getting much more detailed and louder.

He turns a corner and sees a purple light down the cavern.

"The hell is that?" He asked himself, his curiosity getting the better of him.

He walked closer down to the light, and heard a series of sounds vaguely sounding like whispers.

"No way…" He said, partially sure of his suspicions.

He turned the corner, and noticed what looked like a doorway of some sort made of a jet black and purple stone, and between the blocks, a purple haze, seeming to swirl.

"A Nether Portal!?" He exclaimed excitedly.

It was a great surprise to him. _Never _has he seen a Nether Portal already built. He was happy to see that something had done the work for him, but when he thought about it, it send a shiver down his spine.

"If I didn't make it….who did?" He asked himself, looking around himself, making sure he was alone.

His excitement seemed to turn into worry, as he looked into the portal, gazing at the purple haze.

"Huh. Thought it would be paper-like, like in the game." He said.

He continued to hear the whispers, as if they were beckoning him to come.

He gulped. "Man, this is more creepy than I thought…" He said, scratching his head.

He hesitated, then stepped up to the portal.

The air around the portal was thick, he felt like he could barely breathe.

He made a few deep breaths, as he stepped into the haze.

At first, nothing. As time went by, he started to feel a tad nauseous. His vision was starting to blur, having the purple haze covering his eyes.

All that happened then, was he seemed to practically black out, as the haze seemed to consume him, as if he vanished.

Meanwhile, over the corner, a shadowy figure making a dastardly grin, watching over the portal.

* * *

A few moments pass, as Joe's vision seemed to return. He snapped back to his senses, as he looked around him.

All he saw was red, red, and more red. He was sure it was Netherack, but it seemed even more unappealing than he thought.

The air was hot, extremely musky, and thick, and the scent smelled of brimstone.

"This is the Nether alright…" He said to himself, as he pulled out his water bottle.

The Nether was a rather peculiar place to Joe. On one hand, it seemed very appealing to him, with the atmosphere dark, brooding, making an amazing sense of worry and dread.

On the other hand, the worry and dread was true, as practically everything in this dimension wanted to kill the player. Meaning him.

He sighed, taking a swig of his water bottle.

"Well, Blaze rods aren't gonna collect themselves…" He said, as he started on his way.

He emerged from a Netherrack cave to see a pretty accurate rendition of Hell.

Lava, lava pillars, fire in random places, and Zombie Pigmen roaming around. He could even see the Ghasts flying around.

Shit. Ghasts.

He immediately crouched down, as he watched the Ghast flying around, hoping it wouldn't see him.

He stayed in this position for a few moments, as he watched the Ghast fly behind a cliff of Netherrack and Glowstone.

He sighed in relief, as he continued along the cliff, which ended by a very long way to a sea of

lava.

Along his way, he encountered what looked like a group of Zombie Pigmen, and they seemed to be aimlessly wandering around, all with golden swords in their hands.

He took a deep breath, as he continued walking. He knew if he didn't disturb them, they wouldn't attack him.

He stepped into the area of the pigmen, until he was in the middle of the group.

He looked around, and found they paid no attention to him.

Suddenly, one seemed to wander right in front of Joe, and stopped, looking straight at him.

Joe had a surge of tension hit him, as he looked back at the pigman.

They had a tense staredown, until the pigman turned his head and walked to its left, out of Joe's way.

He sighed in relief, as he looked around at the remaining pigmen, who seemed to be doing the same thing.

He then stepped forward, and they still didn't notice him. He then kept walking, until he was a few feet away from the closest pigman.

He continued along his way, as he felt the heat of the Nether get to him, as he stopped and sat on a block of Netherrack.

"Shit, its hot…" He said to himself, as he pulled out his water bottle, and took another swig.

He looked at the bottle, and sighed. He leaned his head forward, and raised the bottle over his head. He then poured the rest of the water on his head, cooling his head down.

He shook water out of his hair, as he put away his empty bottle.

His mind, seemingly cooled off, then turned back to his home, back on Earth.

"It's almost been a month since I've been here...I wonder what's going on back home…" He said, remembering how he even got to this world in the first place.

His mind then went to the girls back home. He was in the Nether for about a half-hour, but time in the Nether was different than the overworld. It could be three days in the overworld for all he knew.

"I hope I'm not here for too long…" He said, as he stood up and continued on his way. "I've got a promise to keep."

* * *

About another hour of walking passed, as Joe looked over a cliff, and saw a structure that seemed to be made above the sea of lava, with pillars and support beams built in the lava.

"Finally, a Nether Fortress. Maybe I can find some Blazes and Nether wart here." He said, as he walked along the cliff towards the nearest entrance to the fortress.

He walked until he met the mouth of the entrance, in which he jumped down the small cliff, onto the Netherbrick.

He took a deep breath, as he pulled out his sword, and continued along his way.

He walked along the brooding corridors of the fortress, finding staircases, lined with Netherwart. He also took the Soul Sand with him, so he could grow more Netherwart.

As he walked along the long corridors, something struck him as odd.

Why were there no Wither Skeletons around? They usually guard these corridors, but he found no problem along his way.

"Weird…" He said to himself, as he continued walking along the way.

He walked on, encountering a few chests filled with random items.

He could hear a few sounds, as if bones clattering.

"There you are…" He said, readying his sword.

He turned the corner, and his suspisions were right. An small squad of Wither skeletons, and they were all looking at him.

The placed both hands on his sword, readying himself, as the Skeletons seemed to be...running after him.

"W-Wait, what?" He said in dread, watching the skeletons sprinting at him.

He expected them to walk like regular skeletons, but they had full movement, as they ran down the corridor.

One of them seemed to jump at him, with its sword raised.

"S-Shit!" Joe exclaimed, as he raised his own sword, blocking the skeleton's attack. Their blades were locked, with both pushing.

He then realized the skeleton was rather taller than him, almost by a whole foot.

This was also shown in the skeleton's strength, as it started to push him down.

Joe mustered all his strength, as he pushed back the skeleton with a swift swing, leaving the skeleton open.

He took this chance, as he swung his sword at the skeleton, slicing it clean in half.

Then then jumped back, landing on his back, as he sat up, and looked forward at the other skeletons.

They seemed to stop at the body of the killed skeleton, as they seemed to be in a slight bit of despair over their fallen comrade.

The leading skeleton then looked at Joe dead in the eye, as he swear he could hear a voice.

"Death is too good for you…"

This made Joe jump. Did the Wither Skeleton just talk?

"W-What!? H-Hey, that was in self defense!" Joe yelled back.

In that moment, he heard more clattering of bones, as the other corridors were then filled with more skeletons.

"Oh shit…" He said, knowing he was surrounded.

"Take him to the princess. She will decide his fate." Came the same voice.

The skeletons then walked closer to him, getting closer with each step.

"G-Get away from me!" Joe yelled, wildly swinging his sword.

His wild swinging was then stopped, as he looked at a skeleton looking straight at him, holding onto the blade of his sword.

With that moment, the skeleton yanked the sword out of his hand, throwing it to the side, leaving Joe armless.

"O-Oh f-fuck…" Joe stuttered, as he was met with the pommel of the skeleton's sword, knocking him unconscious.

All we see is the skeletons carrying the unconscious body of Joe, down the deep dark corridors of the Nether Fortress.

* * *

**Ooh, a two-parter! I'm actually kind of excited!**

**I'm glad I could squeeze this in, as I'm rather tied up with my schedule.**

**Thank you for your time, I will see you in the next chapter.**


	18. Imprisoned

**Man I'm getting tingly. I've been thinking about this the entire day, and I hope it will come out good. I wanted to make an arc of Joe's time in the Nether, so expect more chapters about it.**

**I'm expecting this arc to be pretty lengthy, so grab a snack.**

**Enjoy.**

* * *

_Joe….._

_Joe, you must awaken…._

_You will be in great danger if you don't…._

"Nrgh…"

_Do you wish to keep your promise?_

"...You again?"

_You will be going through many trials...you must awaken!_

"Trials? What are you talking about?"

_AWAKEN!_

* * *

Joe jumped awake from unconsciousness, with a bulging pain on his forehead.

"Ugh,man…"Joe grumbled, regaining his senses.

He recovered his sight, as he sees he is moving above the floor, but he knew he wasn't moving. He felt something grabbing both of his arms.

He looked to his arm to see a bony hand grabbing each arm, and saw black skeletons walking, grabbing his arms.

He then realized he was being dragged by Wither Skeletons down a lit corridor, but it didn't seem like any Nether Fortress corridor.

"W-Whats….going on…" Joe mumbled out loud.

"Sunshines awake."

"Yeah. And just in time to see Your Majesty."

Joe was confused. "M...Majesty?"

"Don't worry. We'll make sure your death is quick when she gives the word."

Joe shivered at this, as he tried to struggle, but found his strength left him, as his body felt too weak to move. Another factor that didn't help was he found he was bounded by chains and cufflinks around his wrists and ankles, which jangled with each step the skeletons took.

"Can...I at least stand up?" Joe asked weakly.

One of the skeletons made a chuckling sound, as they both stopped, allowing joe to stand on his feet. When he did this, the skeletons then pulled Joe forward, still dragging him, but he was walking on his own.

He was continued to be dragged by the skeletons down the corridor, until they reached a large metal double-door.

"We have the prisoner! Open the door!" One of the skeletons yelled, as the door slowly opened with a beam of light shining between the doors.

When the door was finally opened, the light from the room partially blinded Joe, since his eyesight was still recovering.

He then felt himself being dragged again, still bended from the light.

As his eyes adjusted, he was able to see the room he was being dragged into.

The room consisted of a circular court, with an audience above, almost looking like an arena battleground. The audience seemed to be talking among themselves, looking at Joe. He presumed they were talking about him.

At the center end of the court was an empty throne, with what seemed to be a pigman standing next to the throne.

At his level, he found a small elevation, along with two podiums on opposite ends.

He was dragged to the elevation, in which the stepped onto the small elevation, presuming it was where he was supposed to stand.

In that moment, one of the skeletons kicked Joe in the back of the knee, forcing him onto his knees.

The skeletons then attached his chains to links on the floor, rendering him immobile

"Now that the prisoner is here, we may begin our Royal Court." The Pigman next to the throne announced, as the audience went silent.

"C-Court?" Joe weakly asked, frantically looking around.

"And now presenting, Heir to the Throne of the North Kingdom, Princess Balazette."

In that moment, the audience, pigman, and the skeletons bowed forward, leaving Joe dazed and confused.

One of the skeletons then grabbed the back of Joe's head, and forced him down, as if bowing.

He heard a small series of footsteps, which ended with a word from a female voice.

"Rise."

In that moment, everyone in the court rose, including the skeletons, who let go of Joe's head.

He rose his head to the throne to see a woman, with one leg over the other, who had her head resting on her hand. She seemed around in her late teens or early twenties, judging from age appearance.

The woman had bright yellow hair, that seemed well groomed, that reached past her back. Her eyes were a fiery yellow, as she looked at Joe. Her clothing is what got to him, as her clothing consisted of a two-piece bikini that was a reddish-brown color, and exposed a good amount of her skin.

Speaking of her skin, it was a tad tanned, with her arms and legs covered in a yellow armor, only greaves and gauntlets.

She had barrettes in her hair, which were rectangles that had a brown color on a third of them, with the rest of the accessory white.

What struck Joe as peculiar was the yellow and orange rods floating around her.

_Is that...a Blaze?_

"Krieg, what am I here for?" The woman asked the pigman next to her, with an annoyed tone.

"Well, Princess Blazette, this...human was captured over near the northwest fortress, the skeletons brought him to this court." The pigman named Krieg answered.

The princess then looked at Joe, who was looking straight at her.

"Human, huh?" Blazette asked, raising her head from her hand.

The Wither Skeleton to Joe's right then stepped up.

"Yes, Your Majesty. We found him sneaking around, and he murdered one of our soldiers." It seemed to say.

"Murdered!? I was attacked! It was self-defe-Agh!" Joe tried to yell, as he was pulled back down, a pain surging through his arms.

"Collor went to apprehend him, but this human attacked him in a craze, and killed him on the spot!" The skeleton exclaimed.

"He attacked me first! I was defending mysel-Agh! God dammit!" Joe yelled in pain, as he was pulled by his chains again.

"So, Collor attacked this human, It defended itself, and you wanted to bring him to my court for murder?" Blazzete asked, seemingly annoyed.

"This human killed a good soldier! We deserve justice!" The skeleton to Joe's right exclaimed.

"Silence!"

The court then went dead.

"I will make the verdict here, not you!" Blazette screamed.

This caught Joe off guard, as he was both terrified and partially amazed at the princess.

Then, with a snap of her fingers, a staircase leading her to Joe then formed from the wall, as she rose from her throne and started to step down the stairs, as it was being formed.

He then stopped walking when she was mere feet away from Joe, who went a tad red, because he realized that her breasts were rather large, and he was prone to this embarrassment. He let his head down, focusing his vision away from the princess.

"Raise your head." She said, as she placed her hand on Joe's chin, and moved it to where he was looking at her.

Upon looking at Joe's face, her face seemed to change, from annoyance, to a bright expression.

Her eyes rested, as she made a slight soft smile at Joe.

_Could it be..._The princess thought to herself, as she let go of Joe's face.

"W-What is your verdict, Princess?" Krieg asked nervously.

The princess was silent, she then spoke, looking at Joe.

"Enter him into the Tournament as a prisoner. Nothing else."

The court seemed to be in a confused frenzy.

"P-P-Princess!?" Kreig exclaimed.

"I made my verdict." Blazette announced, as she turned around and made her way up the stairs. She stopped halfway, as she turned to the Wither Skeletons.

"If I find a hair on his head gone because of you, I will have you exiled. You're dismissed." She said, as she turned her head, and continued walking.

Joe was surprised to see his "fate" unfold in front of him. He noticed the skeletons detach his chains from the floor links, as he felt himself being turned around and dragged out where he came from.

He turned his head back to the princess, who he could swear had a look of intrigue on her face as she looked back at Joe.

He then was pulled past the doors, in which he saw the doors slowly closing behind him, only to have him again alone in the corridor with the skeletons.

"You're lucky the princess declared mercy. At least you'll be killed in the Tournament."

"T-Tournament? What are you talking about?"

"This tournament will determine the strongest fighter. The prize will only be announced during the final battle."

"Well...Could it be freedom for me?"

The skeletons seemed to laugh uncontrollably.

"I'm sure you'll be dead before the semi's. No need to worry about freedom now."

Joe then shivered, thinking of what could be ahead of him.

His mind went to the girls, as he was being dragged down the corridor.

_Wait for me guys...This might take a while…_

* * *

They walked on, until they reached another door, which opened much faster, to what looked like a prison cell room.

The inmates all were consisted of mangled Pigmen, and beaten skeletons in the cells.

Joe was guided to an empty cell, in which his binds were then looked off of him, and was pushed into his cell.

"Get some rest. Dying while tired and exhausted is a painful death. Your first match will be tomorrow." He heard one of the skeletons say.

He then heard the cage lock behind him, as he walked over near a wall in his cell, and sat against it.

"Man...I can't believe it...I never knew the Nether was a unison of kingdoms. Maybe it went deeper than I thought…" He said to himself, feeling the welts the binding bracelets made on his wrists. "And now I have to fight in a tournament for freedom….Just how long am I going to be here? If I manage to make my way above the ranks, that is…"

He sighed.

"Maybe this is how I go…" He said, his faith in his own strength leaving him.

When he felt his will was leaving, he heard a familiar voice.

"J-Joe?"

He turned his head to see a familiar face just a cell away, with the person against the bars of the prison cell at him.

"M...Mary!?"

It was indeed Mary, the witch that almost had Cupa kill Joe while she was hypnotized by the strange potion.

"Joe! What on earth are you doing here!?" She exclaimed.

"I should be asking you the same thing…" Joe said, as he stood up and walked over near her.

He noticed that her clothes were tattered and torn, indicating she had a few scraps here. Her hat was also missing, as he looked upon her scared face.

Little did he know, that when he was in range, Mary extended her arms and pulled Joe into a tight embrace.

He was surprised, but he couldn't say anything, as he could feel the reason why she hugged him.

Her whole body was shaking from fear.

He looked at the metal bars between them, as he thought of an idea.

"Mary, Let go of me for a second. I've got an idea."

She then let go of him, slightly confused of his words.

He stepped back a few feet, and beckoned Mary to do the same.

In that moment, he then popped his neck, as he hopped a few times in preparation, as he raised his leg, and made a swift and hard kick to the bars.

Much to Mary's surprise, the bars were so heavily rusted that the bars snapped from Joe's kick, as they fell apart upon breaking.

When the dust settled, Mary could see go, spreading his arms to her.

"Does the little witch need a hug?" He joked.

Mary's face seemed to tear up, as she sprinted at Joe, with her arms extended as well, as she jumped and wrapped her arms around Joe's neck. Her weight stumbled Joe, as he fell back, cushioning Mary.

She buried her face in Joe's neck, sobbing and wailing.

Joe could only chuckle, as he wrapped his arms around her waist, returning the hug.

"I was just….so scared...I didn't believe I would make it out of here…" Mary sobbed in Joe's neck.

Joe patted the back of her head, comforting her.

"Don't worry, I've got your back. Sure you tried killing me, but you seem truly desperate to hug me like this." Joe joked, rubbing Mary's head.

"S-Shut up...I was scared…" Mary said, her face turning a tad red.

In that moment, Mary turned herself around, making herself rest her body on Joe's with his arms still wrapped around her.

"M-Mary?" Joe asked, turning red himself.

"The guards say your match is tomorrow…" She said.

"Y-Yeah? So?" Joe asked.

"I've been scared white, and I've been here for a few days...Could…" Mary started.

Joe was slightly nervous at Mary's question, as he listened.

"Could...We stay like this...for the night?" Mary nervously asked.

Joe was surprised at Mary's request, as he thought to himself for a bit.

He then sighed, as he embraced her more tightly.

"You're lucky I'm a good person…" Joe said, accepting Mary's request.

Mary smiled, as he rested her head on Joe's chest, as she rested her hands on top of Joe's.

"Can I at least get near a wall? I need support." Joe said, as he and Mary moved themselves towards the wall, in which Joe leaned himself against the wall.

In that moment, Joe pondered a question.

"Hey, Mary?"

"Hm?"

"How old are you?"

She seemed hesitant, until she spoke.

"Nineteen…"

Joe couldn't believe it. This woman, who looked obviously more mature than her age, with her large breasts and curvy body, was the same age as him.

"Same here…"

Mary seemed to giggle, as he moved her body against Joe's getting comfortable.

Joe went a tad red at this, as Mary's body was on some of the more embarrassing parts of his body.

He tried to keep himself from getting aroused, as he tried to clear his mind. He felt comfortable with Mary on him. He didn't know why.

In that moment,Mary turned her head, her lips next to Joe's ear.

"Goodnight, Joe…" Mary said, as she gave a kiss on the cheek to him.

Joe went red at this, as Mary rested her head back on his shoulder.

He then could feel steady breathing on her, as her face was a peaceful smile, while she drifted off to sleep.

He then rested his head on the wall, closing his eyes, hoping to get some sleep himself.

His exhaustion got the best of his, as he started to drift off to sleep himself.

_Where did this all go wrong…_

* * *

**Alright, done with this for the night. I promise you all I will make the next chapter tomorrow night, as I really want to continue this arc.**

**Some of you have been saying I should make an actual pairing between Joe and one of the girls. I didn't really think of it until now, but I'm kinda stumped.**

**Let me know what pairing you guys think I should make, and I'll consider making it near the climax of my story.**

**Thank you for your time, I'll look forward to seeing you in the next chapter.**


	19. First Fight

**Hoo boy another action scene! Im excited! Ten hours of work, and I'm finally typing this.**

**Just a warning, the beginnings a little risque, but it dies down rather quick.**

**One last thing, I got some feedback for the pairings, but I need more to make a good decision. So please, even if you're a guest, please give me some feedback on a pairing.**

**Enjoy.**

* * *

The next day in the Nether rolled by after a few hours, if you can say that, as we see Joe and Mary both peacefully sleeping in their shared cell.

In his sleep, Joe had moved from his position and was laying flat on the ground, with Mary laying on top of him, laying face-down, with her face in Joe's chest.

He unknowingly had his right hand on her right hip, as he slightly snored.

She had her arms tightly wrapped around his neck, as if he was a pillow. She had the most peaceful look on her face as she was sleeping on him, judging by her smiling face.

They were both peacefully sleeping, until Mary opened her eyes, and found she was sleeping on him.

She had a smile across her face as she looked upon his sleeping face, as he snored slightly.

She didn't know why he was so appealing to look at. Maybe it was his looks, his sleep pattern, she didn't know what.

Maybe because she had a little experience with his heart.

He was generally a humble, caring young man. His heart was with his friends, who he cared about so much.

Even though she tried to kill him, he still had it in him to comfort her, when she was terrified beyond belief. She felt her heart beat fast when she looked upon him.

But, in that moment, unknowingly in his sleep, raised his left hand and accidentally grabbed Mary's right breast.

She made a slight moan, but tried to keep it down, to not awaken Joe.

"I found you, Mr. Marshmallow…" He muttered in his sleep.

Mary didn't know whether to be flattered or embarrassed, as Joe's hand moved, fully groping her breast.

Her face went red, as she started to breath heavily, partially consumed by pleasure.

She didn't know why, but she allowed Joe's accidental groping, as she rested back on Joe, biting her finger in pleasure.

She was then fully consumed with pleasure, as she started to caress her hand across Joe's chest, feeling his body through his clothes.

Her breathing then turned into partial moaning, as Joe was rubbing, squeezing, and fondling with both her breasts with both of his hands.

She let out a louder then normal moan, which she thought was too loud.

It was too loud, as it had awoken Joe, who slowly opened his eyes.

He then realized he was grabbing onto something, as he cupped both of his hands.

Soft and squishy.

He looked down to see he was fully groping Mary with both of his hands, while he was breathing and slightly moaning in pleasure.

His face turned the deepest red his body could make, as he let go of Mary, and scooted away from her.

"I-I-I-I'm so sorry! It was an accident! I don't know why I was! I'm sorry!" Joe yelled frantically, in a state of embarrassed panic.

Mary then sat up, with her back turned to Joe. She turned herself to Joe, but much to his surprise, her face of utter pleasure was still on her face.

She looked at Joe, still breathing heavily.

"M...More…" She moaned.

"M-Mary?" Joe said, unsure of what to think.

In that moment, Mary went on all fours and started crawling towards Joe.

"More…" She muttered, her face unfading.

It then hit Joe. He went red as a beet.

"M-Mary, be reasonable here, we-gah!" Joe said, but was interrupted by Mary climbing back on top of Joe, riding him.

"Give me more…" She said, as she closed her eyes, and puckered her lips. She then placed her hand on Joe's cheek, and moved her head closer towards Joe, going in for a kiss.

"H-Hey, cut it out! We can't do this!" Joe yelled, as Mary's face came closer.

And when she was mere inches away from his lips, the prison room door slammed open, with a Wither Skeleton stepping in, which snapped Mary out of her horny trance.

"Rise and shine, it's death day." The skeleton said, as he unlocked the cell door and walked back to the door.

It then closed the door, as Mary slipped off of Joe, and shook her head.

"What...What was I doing?" She asked.

Joe's face beamed in confusion.

"W-Wait, you don't remember what you were just doing?" He asked.

"W-Well…" She said, her face turning pink. "I remember waking up, looking at you, then everything went white…"

Joe blushed at this, as he scratched his head.

"Well, its nothing to worry about.." He said, looking at her.

She remained silent, as she looked at Joe. "I heard you have your match today."

He sighed. "Yeah, but I don't know if I'll do well…" He said.

She smiled at this. "I've got just the thing for that." She said, as she closed her eyes, and placed her hands together, in a state of deep concentration.

"What? What are you doing?" He asked, confused.

She held a finger to her mouth, asking for silence, as she concentrated.

In that moment, a blue light emanated from her hands, as she held them up in front of her.

"Whoa…" Joe said, amazed at the light.

She opened her eyes, and looked to him.

"Bear with me." She said, which caused Joe to flinch.

She then grabbed Joe with her hands, which caused Joe to freeze.

His eyes then glowed with the blue light, as he seemed to be more relaxed, in an enlightened state.

After a few moments, she let go of his head, which slumped down.

"Open your eyes." She calmly said.

Joe opened to his eyes, in which both his eyes and eyesight were a dark blue, as he looked around, amazed at this sensation.

"Holy…" He said in amaze, looking at everything.

Most of his eyesight was blue, but whatever he looked at, it was a different hue in color to him. The iron bars were a tan color, wood was brown, and Mary was a bright light purple.

"Whats going on…" He asked.

"Its called Miner's Vision." She said.

"'Miner's Vision'?" He asked, still examining his surroundings.

"Its an augment that allows you to see anything and everything. Different ores and materials glow with a respective color. Enemy's also have a respective color, even when they are invisible." Mary explained.

"Invisible, huh?" He said, looking at Mary. He was surprised to see he could see her features, but there was a light purple glow to her. "How do I turn it off?"

"Concentrate. You can activate it anytime you want, but you have to concentrate." Mary replied, prompting Joe to do so.

He closed his eyes, and focused his mind.

He opened his eyes, to see his normal eyesight had returned.

"Whoa...Cool…" He said, examining everything again.

"Consider it a 'See All' kind of power." Mary said, smiling.

"What else can it do?" He asked, as he closed his eyes, activating his vision again.

"Well, it can see thermal readings, and see through objects as well." She replied, intriguing Joe.

"Kinda like an X-ray, huh…" He said, and without knowing, his vision shifted, as he was fully see Mary completely naked, even though she still had her clothes.

He yelled a bit, as he covered his eyes.

"W-What?" Mary asked, slightly panicked.

"N-Nothing!" He replied, as his vision returned to normal.

_That could be a problem..._He thought, as he scratched his cheek.

"It should help you out. It can also see weak points in enemies."

"Wow….Man, I really owe you one. I could stand a chance with this." Joe said, smiling at Mary.

She let out a giggle, as he placed a hand on Joe's.

"Its the least I can do. You have friends to return to."

Joe smiled at this, as he took her hand.

"Thank you, Mary...Well, I should be going. I've got a match to get to." He said, making a guilty smile.

Mary giggled again, as she nodded.

Joe then stood up, as he faced the door.

"Well, here goes nothing." He said, as he walked out of the cell, and towards the door.

He looked back at Mary, who was smiling back at Joe, as he waved, and walked through the door.

He was met with the same skeleton leaning on the wall, waiting for Joe.

"You waited for me?" Joe asked.

"Thought you would have wanted to be with your lover one last time before dying." The skeleton said, as it started walking down the hall.

Joe grumbled to himself, as he followed after.

"She's not my lover…"

* * *

They walked on, until they stopped at a door, in which the skeleton opened the door for Joe.

"Go pick a weapon. We can't let you enter empty handed. Not that it will matter." Te skeleton said, pointing its bony thumb in the room.

Joe walked in, to see an array of weapons and armor all racked up, and ready for use.

Swords, spears, axes, you name it. All was available to him, all he had to do was choose.

As he looked around, one weapon stood out to him.

He looked and saw what looked like a sheathed katana that looked about five feet long with the sheath looking rather battered, and the cloth on the handle tattered.

It looked ancient, and was covered in dust as Joe picked it up.

"Just the right weight…" He said to himself, as he grabbed the handle, and pulled the sword out of its sheath.

The blade was as long as he hoped, and the weight of the weapon was just perfect. Only problem was the blade was partially rusted, and was chipped throughout the edge of the blade.

But the weight, the feel, and the look of the sword was absolutely perfect to him.

"Oldie….but definitely a goodie." He said, as he twirled the blade and sheathed the sword in the fashion of a samurai.

The skeleton noticed this, and laughed.

"That rusty metal stick? Oh, this will be good." He said.

Joe then "hmph"ed through his nose, as he looked for a good set of armor.

He looked around, and saw something that peaked his interest.

He saw a leather cuirass lined with metal plates, looking like scales of some sort. It had gauntlets, greaves, and the armor for the bottom and top of the torso, but no helmet.

This didn't faze him, as he picked up the armor, and fitted it on himself.

A perfect fit.

It fit over his regular clothes, making it more comfortable to him, with his face beaming in excitement.

"If I make it out of this, I'm definitely keeping you two." He said, looking at his armor and sword.

He strapped the sword to the left side of his waist, and to his surprise, it had a loop that perfectly fit the sword. Almost as if the two were meant to be paired.

"Nice…" He said to himself, as he walked out of the room.

The skeleton saw this, and chuckled.

"You look rather good."

Joe nodded. "Thank you."

"Too bad you're gonna die in it."

Joe sighed in annoyance.

"Yeah, yeah, 'it won't matter', 'you'll die anyway', yada yada." Joe said, walking past the skeleton.

The skeleton then walked in front of Joe, leading him down another corridor.

* * *

They walked on until they met with a large gate. On the other side of the gate, Joe could partially saw what the Tournament arena looked like.

To the side of the door, was Krieg, the pigman from the Court.

"Name." It simply said.

"Er...Joe." Joe replied with.

"Joe the…?"

"...Human?"

"Joe the Human. Your match will begin shortly. Wait in the Arena. And remember this…" Krieg said, looking at Joe. "The only way out is to win, or death."

Joe gulped at this, as he nodded in agreement.

"Splendid." The pigman said, as the gate was then raised out of nowhere.

Joe could hear the screams and cries of the audience, as he looked out to the battleground.

"Move." The skeleton said, as it pushed Joe forward, forcing him into the arena.

He was amazed of the look of the arena, with the audience cheering and screaming in anticipation.

He was both amazed, and very nervous at the same time, waiting to see his opponent, as he started walking forward.

The gate then slammed shut behind him, making him jump and look back at it.

He then let it faze, as he looked forward, waiting in his own anticipation.

In that moment, what seemed like a mic check sounded out, as he looked over to what looked like a throne above the northern side of the Arena, which looked like VIP seating for football games.

"And now, announcing, Princess Blazette." Krieg said in the mic, which echoed throughout the Arena.

The fiery princess then stepped in vision of everyone, and sat on her throne. She took the mic, cleared her throat, and spoke:

"Let the Tourney begin!" she announced, which was returned with a massive uproar of anticipation and excitement from the audience.

Joe gulped again, as he looked over to the Princess, who was staring straight at him.

He looked forward to the other gate, lost in his thoughts.

_Don't mess up Joe, shes looking right at you…_

The mic went off again, as Krieg spoke.

"And our first match, in the east gate, hailing from the human dimension, we have...Joe the Human!"

The audience then went to a series of boos and yells for his death, which made Joe shiver.

"Man, didn't know I was hated that much…"

"Aaaand in the west gate, we have, hailing from the South Kingdom….Braug the Destroyer!"

In that moment, the west gate opened to darkness, as the crowd was cheering and yelling in praise, as a hulking beast of a warrior walked out.

The creature was about seven feet tall, had the mouth of an orc, and ears of an elf. Its armor was nothing but blood-splattered cloth, covering barely anything on him. Luckily, it was covering its privates, as the beast carried a blood-splattered, double-edged axe, with the blade larger than its head.

The beast named Braug them raised its arms in the air, and growled, causing an uproar in applause.

A bell then rang, as Krieg yelled into the mic.

"FIGHT!"

Braug then sprinted at Joe, who flinched and nearly fell backwards, as the beast raised its axe and swung it down at Joe.

He luckily jumped out of the way, landing on his side, as the axe was plunged into the ground.

"Shit, that was close…" Joe said to himself, as he hastily stood up.

Braug pulled his axe out of the ground, as he growled at Joe.

"Well, I'm fucked…" Joe said, as he about-faced and started sprinting.

Braug then ran after him, growling and yelling at the young man.

"Fight, coward!" The beast screamed as it chased Joe.

It then raised its axe again, as it brought it forward, throwing it in Joe's direction.

He heard the wind being cut, as he turned around, and saw the axe heading in his direction.

He quickly ducked, as the axe stuck itself in the wall.

He turned around and saw Braug running at him, as Joe ran back at him.

When they were feet away, Joe then dropped to the ground, and slid forward.

Braug couldn't react to this in time, as Joe was able to kick him in the legs, causing him to topple over, as Joe slid between the monster's legs.

It landed on the ground face first, as Joe stood up, and looked over his work.

He laughed at this in pride, as he sees his opponent standing up.

Meanwhile, Blazette's inturged face was turned to surprise, as she watched over Joe.

The beast looked at Joe, and seemed to smile. It stood up straight and pulled it's axe out of the wall.

"Slippery little rat…" Braug said, as it brought its axe over its shoulder.

Joe then unsheathed his own sword, only to have ridicule over the blade's rusty and chipped look.

Braug himself laughed at his sword. "You expect me to be scared of a rusty metal stick?"

"Be scared of this, asshole." Joe replied, as he closed his eyes, and reopened them, activating his Miner's Vision.

He could see the large crowd cheering in various colors, with Braug in a black glow.

He could also see iron chains across the walls of the battleground. This sparked an idea in Joes mind.

He looked over and could see a red spot on Braug's chest.

He smiled at this. "Bingo."

Joe then sprinted towards the beast, with the monster raising it's axe again.

It brought it down, but Joe managed to move out of the way, moving in front of Braug.

He then jumped with his blade out, and quickly slashed at the red area.

Braug yelled out in pain, as Joe landed behind it.

The beast then toppled over in pain, letting go of its axe, as Joe acted fast.

He ran to the chains, and used his sword to cut them from the links, and carried them to the monster.

He then started to wrap the chains around Braug's legs, binding them together.

Braug tried to grab Joe, but he slashed its arm before it could grab him.

He then wrapped the chains around Braug's arms, binding them to his chest.

"You little!" It yelled, as Joe finished tying the chains around the beast.

The monster laid on its back, trying to struggle out of the chains, as Joe stood on top of it, his sword ready to impale the beast.

"W-Wait!"

"Huh?" Joe asked.

"S-Spare me! Please!"

Joe was shocked.

"...You want me to spare your life? After you just tried to kill me?"

"I-I only came into this tournament to win the prize to support my family! Please! I have a daughter!"

Joe was beyond speechless. On one hand, this beast had a family with a daughter, and he could easily return to them. On the other hand, the crowd and presumably the princess were awaiting the final blow.

He could hear the crowd cheering, calling out for blood.

He looked down at the binded monster, who had a desperate look on his face.

"Please…"

Joe was silent, as he sighed.

"Dammit…" He said, has he stayed his blade from the monster, and sheathed it.

The crowd was hysterical. An arena fight without death? They wouldn't have it.

The audience went crazy.

"Kill him!"

"Finish him off!"

"We came for blood!"

Joe was angered at this, as he screamed at the crowd.

"ENOUGH!"

The crowd went dead.

"He has been defeated! He lost! He doesn't have to be dead!" Joe yelled.

Meanwhile, the princess had a shocked look on her face as she watched Joe defend the monster.

"I won't be responsible for this proud beast's death!" He said, as he looked over. "His daughter shouldn't grow without a father."

Braug then smiled in joy at Joe, who in return smiled back.

"You fought well." He said, as he pulled off the chains around Braug.

Braug stood up, and extended an arm to Joe.

"Thank you…" The beast said, as it offered its hand.

Joe smiled back, as he took its hand, in a firm handshake.

The crowd then went wild.

The mic also went out, as Krieg's voice could be heard.

"I-It would seem...that Braug has been given mercy! Joe the Human is the victor!"

Braug looked over at Joe, placing his other hand on Joe's.

"Your honor will go down with my people."

"Just get going already, you have a daughter waiting on you." Joe said, laughing.

The east gate then opened, as two Wither Skeletons came running out, and apprehended Braug.

"H-Hey! He's done nothing wrong!" Joe said, his hand on his sword.

"Calm down."

"Huh?" Joe asked.

"He will be in the prison for a bit, but he will live. He will return to his family in two days." One of the skeletons said, which calmed Joe's nerves.

"Thank you, Joe...I am in your debt." Braug said, as he was being taken by the guards.

Another one stepped out, and walked out to Joe.

"You have one victory, so you have a choice." It said to Joe.

"Choice?"

"You can either choose to release yourself, or one of any other prisoners."

Joe thought to himself, as he quickly made a choice.

"Take me back to the prison. I choose to let one of them free." He said, as the Skeleton nodded.

* * *

A few moments later, Joe and the skeleton are back in the prison, with all the prisoners cheering for him.

"The fresh meat is now the winner!"

"Let one of us go!"

Joe looked over to his cell, to see Mary against the bars, looking at Joe, her eyes tearing up.

He walked over, and turned to the skeleton.

"Open her door, please."

The skeleton nodded, as it did so.

Mary sprinted through the door, and quickly embraced Joe, burying her face in Joe's chest.

"I can't believe you won!" she said in Joe's chest.

He chuckled, as he returned the hug.

After a moment, Joe then let go of Mary, and grabbed her shoulders, looking into her eyes.

"Mary, they're going to let you go now. I need you to tell everyone back home I'm going to be a bit late. Let them know I'm alive." He sternly said to Mary.

Mary was shocked, but then as happy as Joe had ever seen her, and nodded.

"I-I promise…"

Joe smiled, as he looked to the skeleton.

"I want her free. Please bring her back to the overworld." He said.

The skeleton nodded in agreement, as Joe let go of Mary, who followed after the skeleton.

"Thank you Joe...I won't forget this…" Mary said, looking back at Joe as she followed the skeleton.

"I won't either. Just be sure to tell the girls, please." Joe said, as he waved.

The door then closed, and Joe was left alone in the prison, with the other cellmates going to their own business.

The other door then slammed open, to Krieg, making Joe jump.

"Joe the Human, you've been requested by the Princess. Please follow me." He said, as he turned around and walked in the other direction.

"T-The princess?" Joe said, as he ran to behind Krieg and caught up with him.

While walking down the dark corridor, Joe was lost in his thoughts.

_What would the princess want with me?_

They walked for about a half-hour, as they reached a rather grandiose set of double-doors.

"Step in when you're ready, she's expecting you." Krieg said, as he turned around and walked back into the darkness.

Joe was then left alone in front of the door, as he nervously sighed.

He then placed his hands on the doors, as he breathed to himself.

_Showtime, Joe. _Were his thoughts, before he opened the door.

* * *

**Oooh, a cliffhanger! Good lord I suck as action scenes…**

**Anyway, I still have a lot to type, but I'll post it tomorrow, I promise.**

**But, what I said above, I need some input for a pairing in this Fic. Even if you're a guest, please give me input. Anyone reading, I please ask** **for your opinion.**

**Thank you for your time, I'll see you in the next chapter.**


	20. Spared

**Allo. Thank you for being so patient, I have your new chapter for you.**

**I'm still not sure for a pairing, so your opinions are still wide open.**

**Enjoy.**

* * *

The door slowly creaked open as Joe pushed on both ends.

A light pierced through the doors, as Joe opened the doors widely open.

The inside of the room on the other end baffled Joe, setting him off guard.

Inside the room was a grandiose lobby, as if it was from a fantasy castle. Pillars, candles, and cloth running everything in a very robust and royal manor.

It was very off putting from the rest of the Nether, much to Joe's surprise.

"Whoa…" Joe said, amazed of his surroundings.

He walked into the lobby to a set of twin spiraling staircases that led to a second floor.

"This is much more nice than the mansion I made in creative…" He said, astounded at the gracious and royal architecture.

He then realized he was completely clueless where to go, as he saw multiple doors and walkways.

"Shit….Where do I go?" He said, his finger on his chin.

In that moment, a little girl came running into the lobby, holding a ball in her hand, giggling to herself.

Joe noticed this, and couldn't help but smile at the girl's seemingly innocence.

The girl had had crimson red hair, which fit with her dark red blouse, along with a small hat that peaked Joe's interest.

"She must be a Magma Cube." He said to himself, as he walked over to the girl.

The girl noticed this, her expression dropping to confusion.

"Excuse me, young lady, can you tell me where the princess is?" Joe asked, crouching down to her level.

"Who are you?" The girl asked.

"I'm Joe. I'm here to see the princess. Can you lead me to her?" He replied.

The girl seemed to think to herself, as her expression beamed.

"Oh, you're that human the princess was talking about!" She said, smiling at Joe.

Joe chuckled at this, as he scratched his head. "Yes, I am. Can you tell me your name? I mean no harm."

"My name's Maggie! I'm Onee-sama's little sister!" The girl said.

This surprised Joe.

"You are? Wow, thats pretty cool!" Joe said, amusing Maggie.

"Yeah! Shes so cool! Shes like an adult!" Maggie chirped, praising the fiery princess.

"I'm sure she is. Can you tell me where she is? She says she wants to meet me." Joe asked.

The little girl then nodded. "Sure! Follow me!" She said, as she walked up the stairs, prompting Joe to follow.

While walking down the halls, Joe was easily able to catch up to the girl by walking, who was hopping down the hall.

They walked until they reached a door, in which the little girl then stopped in front of it.

"Onee-sama's in here. Just go in!" Maggie chirped, prompting Joe to smile.

"Thank you very much, Maggie." He said, as the little magma cube girl nodded, and hopped back down the hall, presumably to her own business.

Joe was then left alone, as he turned to the door.

He reached for the door handle, when something struck in his mind.

In all the anime and manga he's read and watched, he knows exactly what could happen if you open a door with a girl on the other side without knocking.

He then raised his hand, and slightly knocked on the door.

"W-Who is it?" Came a familiar voice.

"U-Uh, its the prisoner...The one you asked for? Joe the Human?" Joe replied through the door.

"O-Oh! J-Just one second, I'm just changing my clothes." The voice said.

A wind of relief blew over Joe, as he sighed in relief.

"And people say Otaku's don't know anything." Joe said quietly to himself.

He waited for a few moments, as he heard footsteps.

He then stepped back, and crouched down, lowering his head.

The door opened to the Princess, as she looked down to Joe, slightly confused.

"Can I ask what you are doing?" She asked.

"Uh….Acknowledging your royalty, and showing respect?" Joe answered back.

"W-Well, just rise. You don't need to do so, I think you already know your place." Blazette said, slightly embarrassed.

Joe raised his head, trying to maintain a respectful posture, as he stood up, and got a good look of the princess.

She certainly seemed elegant, judging from her beauty, which slightly astounded Joe.

"W-Well, You wanted to see me, Your Highness?" Joe asked, his hands behind his back in a respectful posture.

The girl then smiled, slightly laughing at Joe.

"No need to be so formal." She said, her face stifling laughter.

Joe then went pink, as he relaxed his posture.

"Sorry, Your Highness." Joe said, scratching his head.

"Please, call me Flare. Its what my friends call me." The princess asked, smiling at Joe.

Joe nodded. "Y-Yes, Princess Flare…" He said in return.

Blazette then smiled, as she closed the door behind her.

"Follow me to the study. I need to fill you in on something." She said, as she prompted Joe to follow her.

"Lead the way." Joe replied, as he followed her further down the hall.

* * *

About a half hour passed, as Joe and Blazette were in the study, with the princess looking over her desk sorting through papers, with Joe amazed at all the decorations and trinkets.

"So, what did you want to tell me?" Joe asked, as he walked towards the princess.

"I asked you here to warn you." Blazette said, looking over scattered papers.

"W-Warn me?" Joe asked, intrigued.

The princess then passed what seemed like a picture of a man, who's look made Joe snicker a bit.

The man seemed to be wearing Victorian era style of clothes, with him making a rather grandiose pose. He had brown hair, and Joe couldn't tell if the man was trying to be a woman or not, judging by the "beauty" of his face.

"Who's this?" He asked.

"The man in the picture goes by the name of Dreu. He is the prince of the South Kingdom." Blazette replied.

"South Kingdom? Well, I do remember hearing something about the Four Kingdoms back in the court." Joe said, looking over the picture. "Can I ask why you are telling me about this guy?"

"I'm warning you about him, because he is in the tournament along with you." The princess replied.

"He doesn't look that tough." Joe said, chuckling at the prince's photograph.

In that moment, the princess stepped up the Joe, getting in his face slightly.

"Do not underestimate him." She said.

"H-Huh?" Joe asked, confused at the Princess's action.

"He's a scheming, dastardly man. He manipulates people around him to support him and fight his battles for him." She replied. "He's merciless, brutal, and will stop at nothing to get his way."

"What do you mean?" Joe asked.

She then crossed her arms. "He will try anything to get what he wants. Even going as far as murder."

Joe's face turned to a look of slight disgust after hearing this.

"What a coward." He said, looking over the picture.

"His swordplay is also nothing to undermine. He's learned from the best, as he will utilize anything he's learned to cut down his opponent."

Joe looked over at the picture, examining the man.

"But...I have one question…" He said, then looked over to the princess. "Why are you telling me this?"

The princess then took Joe's hand, and held it his both of her hands.

"Because I believe you could be the one to end all this madness between the Kingdoms." She said, her eyes staring into Joe's.

Joe was dumbfounded at this.

"W-Wait...Me?" He asked.

"Yes, you. You come here from another world, you spared the life of Braug, and you wish to cherish lives of others." She said, looking to Joe.

"I-I...Couldn't amount to anything like that, I barely know anything about this place…" Joe said, doubting himself.

"You may not believe it...But something tells me you are." She said.

Joe then sighed in disbelief. "And how would you know I'm this, 'chosen hero' that will help you?"

Blazette then let go of Joe's hand and walked towards a window, facing away from Joe.

"I've been having these dreams lately. I believe they may be visions of the future." She said with her back turned to Joe.

"Visions?" Joe asked, curious.

"Yes...I can see the Kingdoms, raging in war. Innocent people dying, blood and bodies everywhere...Its a frightening sight to see…" She said. "But...Out of the shadows, followed by a divine light, a hero arrives, branding a sword in hand. The light enveloped everything, rebuilding structures, healing wounded soldiers and people. The war had stopped when he arrived, healing everything."

Joe was astounded at the images of Blazette's dream, listening to every detail.

She then turned around, facing Joe.

"I believe you may be that Hero." The princess declared.

A sudden feeling of responsibility came across Joe, as he looked at his armored hand.

"You really think I might fix all of this, huh…" He asked. He then clenched his fist, and looked at the princess. "I'll do whatever I can to help. Hopefully this vision of yours can be changed."

She then smiled brightly, as tears seemed to be leaking from her face.

Joe finched at this, as he stepped to the princess.

"D-Don't cry! I-I'm sorry!" He said, waving his hands at the princess.

Blazette then giggled, as she wiped her tears. "Its just...You're the first to believe me…"

Joe scratched his head, as he chuckled. "Well, I don't see how I can get out of this…"

In that moment, a horn could be heard.

"What was that?" Joe asked.

"Its the next match. We have to go spectate." The princess replied.

"'We'? Don't I have to go to the prison?" Joe asked.

She shaked her head. "Not if I don't say so. Come, we must go."

"Well, lead the way, I guess." Joe said, as The princess lead him out the door, back into the hallway.

* * *

They arrived at the royal seating, in which Krieg was surprised to see Joe with the princess.

"Y-Your Majesty, why is-!?"

Blazette then shut up Krieg with her hand.

"One word, and you will be down there fighting."

Krieg the nodded, and remained silent.

The princess then took her throne, as Joe hid behind shadows to keep himself concealed. He knew if someone saw him, there'd be suspicions of foul play.

Krieg then took the microphone and spoke into it:

"We have our third match for the day in the Tournament! To the east gate, We have hailing from the East Kingdom, Ludvia the Swift!"

Then, from the eastern gate of the arena, came a young woman, who came in what seemed wizard attire, with robes and a pointed hat. She carried a long staff, with a spherical jewel on the end.

_She looks like a female magician from a fantasy game..._Joe thought as he saw the woman.

"And to the west gate, hailing from the South Kingdom…"

_Wait, South Kingdom? Is it…?_

"Dreu the Champion!"

At that moment, from the west gate, came a man that Joe recognized from the picture.

He looked exactly like he did in the picture, the clothes, the look, everything. He carried what looked like a rapier, strapped to his left side.

When he walked out, Joe could swear he could hear a massive applause and swoons of female voices.

"Man, what a tool…" Joe said, causing Blazette to snicker.

Both combatants walked to their respective spots, as they stopped, facing each other.

Dreu seemed to have a rather snarky, overconfident look on his face, as Ludvia had a rather determined look.

Krieg then took the microphone, and yelled into it:

"FIGHT!"

The start of the match was quick, as Ludvia raised her staff, conjuring a spell through a red sign floating in midair.

Dreu simply laughed, as he drew his sword.

"Burn!" Ludvia yelled, as a fireball shot from the sign, darting towards Dreu.

He made a sneer smile, as the fireball hit him, causing a large explosion.

When the dust settled, it was as if Dreu was never harmed, as he retained his position.

This surprised everyone in the arena, as Joe was astounded.

"Wow, he really is tough…" Joe said, as he spectated the match.

In that moment, Drue dusted off his shoulder his his hand, as he looked at Ludvia.

"Are you quite done?" He said, taunting his opponent.

Ludvia grew angry, as a blue sign appeared in place of the red sign, as she raised her staff.

"Freeze!" She yelled, as a blue light shot from her staff, heading towards Drue.

He simply swung his sword at the light, deflecting it away from him. It flew and hit a wall, which was covered in a glacier of ice.

He simply laughed, as he swung his sword in the air towards Ludvia.

In that moment, something seemed to cut Ludvia, as her left arm seemed to have a gash on it.

She fell to her knees, tending to her wound. She raised her staff again, conjuring a green sign.

"H..Hea-"

"Oh no you don't."

In that moment, Dreu seemed to appear behind Ludvia, and delivered his foot to the back of Ludvia's head, causing her to fly forward.

Joe and Blazette were both shocked to see this.

It messed with Joe the most, as he carefully watched the match.

"How in the hell did he do that?" He asked himself.

Meanwhile, Ludvia managed to stand up, balancing herself.

Drue then swiped this sword multiple times in the air, causing more gashes to appear on Ludvia's body.

She somehow kept her balance, as she used her staff for support.

Meanwhile, Joe was suspicious of what was going on.

"The hell is going on? He swipes at the air, and it hurts Ludvia…" He said, as he looked around, trying to find an answer.

Blazette saw this, and crossed her arms. "I told you, his swordsmanship is nothing to underestimate."

He shook his head in denial. "No way, there's no way he's that good. It's impossible to cut someone with air." He said, looking around every nook and cranny he could find in the arena.

He couldn't see anything that could give an answer, while Ludvia was being tortured down below.

He could see her being repeatedly cut, as he desperately looked around.

His mind then flashed back to a few hours ago.

_You can even see invisible enemies._

"I wonder…" Joe said, as he closed his eyes for a moment, and reopened them, activating his Miner's Vision.

He looked around for a moment, when something caught his eye.

There were two yellow lights along the higher walls of the Colosseum.

He looked closely, and could see figures behind the lights.

The figures seemed to be soldiers, both holding bows, each with an arrow pulled, ready to fire. They stood on very high ledges above the battleground, both having the perfect views.

He then looked down to Ludvia, who was struggling to keep herself up, as Dreu swung at the air again.

He looked over to Ludvia and saw her flinching from her wounds, but he could see streams of yellow grazing her. He looked back to the archers, and noticed they were both firing a series of arrows, purposely grazing Ludvia with arrows.

"Oh you dirty son of a bitch…" He said, as he turned around, finding a weapon.

Blazette and Krieg noticed this, as they looked at Joe, confused.

He managed to find a bow, mounted on a wall, assumably for defense purposes.

He grabbed the bow, along with an arrow.

Blazette watched this, as she ran to Joe, stopping him.

"What in the world are you doing!?" She yelled.

"Watch." Joe said, as he slipped away from the princess and aimed his bow.

He aimed carefully, and shot his arrow, heading for one of the archers.

Thankfully, the arrow missed, but it surprised the archer, causing him to panic, and flee into a window.

The other archer saw this, as he fled as well.

"What was that!?" Blazette screamed in Joe's face.

"I just found Dreu's little secret. Look over to him." Joe said, pointing down to the battle.

She looked down, and noticed Dreu swinging at the air as usual, but he wasn't getting the same reactions from Ludvia at all.

Down at the battle, Dreu was getting rather concerned over his archers not firing.

"What is going on?" He said, as he kept swinging at the air.

Ludvia took advantage of this, as she raised her staff straight in the air.

"Shock!" She yelled, as a ball of yellow light appeared above Dreu.

The ball then discharged, as a bolt of lightning came down towards Dreu from it.

He managed to step out of the way, as his face grew annoyed.

"I was done playing with you anyway." He said, as he charged at Ludvia.

She responded by raising her hand, pointing at Drue.

"Immolate!" She said, as a stream of fire shot fired from her hand, like a flame-thrower.

As Dreu charged, he raised his sword in front of him, making it take the full brunt of the fire.

At that moment, as Drue was charging forward, his sword was practically spitting the fire in half, completely unharming him.

He then charged until he was close enough to Ludvia, who was terrified to see he was that close.

She tried to react in time, but Dreu swung his sword diagonally, delivering a powerful slash across Ludvia's body.

This sent her back, as a large, bloodied gash ran across her chest, as she layed down, face up.

She raised her head up to Dreu, who was slowly walking up to her, bloodied sword in hand.

"W-Wait! I-I surrender! Please!" She cried out of fear and desperation.

"Tsk tsk tsk." Drue said, while he walked closer. "You know the only way out is death."

Her eyes started to tear up in fear, as her body started to shake.

He then stopped until he was right above the weakened Ludvia, who laid there, shaking in fear.

"You should have ran while you could." Dreu said, as he raised his sword, ready to deliver a final blow.

"No! Please! I beg you!" Ludvia begged, as she saw Drue's sword above his head.

He then smiled maniacly, as he brought the sword down.

Watching this, Ludvia has screamed at the top of her lungs, afraid to open her eyes.

_**Clang.**_

Hearing this clang of metal, she opened her eyes, to see Dreu's blade stopped by another.

The blade was rusted, and was chipped on the edge.

Dreu noticed this, as his face went to a look of disbelief.

They both looked to their sides, finding who was holding the rusted blade.

They looked to see Joe, who was holding the sword, his blade keeping Drue's from Ludvia.

"She said she gives up, asshole." He said, as he continued to push against Dreu's blade.

"You!" Dreu yelled, recognizing Joe.

Joe then pushed his blade forward, pushing Dreu backwards.

"This has nothing to do with you!" Dreu yelled, pointing at Joe.

Joe returned this with pointing his blade at Dreu.

"I won't stand by as a begging opponent is about to be slaughtered!" Joe yelled back. He then turned his head over to Krieg. "End the match! Dreu won!"

Back at the royal seating, Blazette was about ready to burst with anger, as Krieg stumbled to the microphone.

"I-It would seem an interference has spared Ludvia's life! But, Drue the Champion, remains the winner!"

The crowd then went wild with applause, as the three contestants stood on the battleground.

Joe twirled his blade, and sheathed it like a samurai again, and then turned to Ludvia, who couldn't move because of her crouched down to Ludvia's level, as he pulled out a few bandage rolls out the pockets of his armor.

"Don't worry, you're gonna be ok." He said, then started to wrap the bandages around Ludvia's wounds.

Meanwhile, Dreu was looking over Joe doing so, as he was then joined by the same archers from before.

"M'Lord, are you alright?' One of the archers asked.

Dreu looked over at Joe, who was finished bandaging Ludvia. He then sheathed his sword, and turned around, walking into the darkness behind the gate.

The archers looked at each other and shrugged. They then followed after him, as they all disappeared into the darkness.

Meanwhile. Joe had finished bandaging Ludvia, who was staring at him.

"How are you feeling?" Joe asked, dusting off his hands.

"M-Much better…" Ludvia said, looking at a bandage on her left forearm.

"Good. Don't worry, I'll get you to the infirmary." Joe said, as he picked up Ludvia, and carried her bridal-style. She was relatively light, despite her curvy body and rather large breasts.

She was a tad surprised at first, but she led rested her head on Joe's shoulder, as she looked at him.

"Who...Are you?" Ludvia asked Joe, who was walking out of the battleground, towards the east gate.

"Joe the Human." He replied, as they walked out of the light of the battleground, into the darkness.

* * *

About an hour passed, as Joe had previously taken Ludvia to the infirmary. He walked down the dark corridor, in the direction to the royal palace.

He had opened the door only to have a fuming Blazette waiting for him on the other side of the door.

"Just what the hell was that!? You interfered with a match!" Blazette yelled, her arms twitching in anger.

Joe sighed. "I wasn't going to let that bastard finish her off like that. Especially after he tried pulling that dirty shit!" He screamed back.

"What were you thinking!? What was going through your head when you did that!?" She yelled back.

Joe then clenched his fist, and screamed back at the princess:

"You expect me to be the hero to stop all of this, so I'm going to start by saving a life!"

Blazette's expression dropped, as he heard Joe's outburst.

"If you really think I'm this 'Hero' you think I am, then I expect you to know that I'm not going to stand by, while that piece-of-shit Dreu finished off a begging woman!"

The princess's lowered her head, as she understood what Joe was saying.

"If you don't want me to save innocent lives, then forget it. I won't be your hero!" Joe said, as he turned around, and stormed back down the hall.

"J-Joe, wait!" The princess yelled, only to see Joe walking into the darkness.

She looked back down, having the most guilty look on her face.

Meanwhile, Joe was steaming down the hall, heading back towards the prison.

"If I can't save lives, then I won't be a hero." He said to himself, as he walked down the dark corridor.

* * *

**Phew, another action scene… Man I can never describe these like I imagine them to be.**

**Anyway, I brought you your chapter as usual, so I hope you can enjoy it as much as I did typing it.**

**Thank you for your time. I will see you in the next chapter.**


	21. Bloody Mary

**I would like to thank some people for support through some tough times I've been going through. Consider it a shout out from me.**

**I would like to thank:**

**adityamuz1212**

**CraftKage102897**

**Ender NightBlade **

**Henry (Guest)**

**GreenStar7373**

**MyBrokenHeart123**

**And all of my followers and readers.**

**You all have no idea how much you all help me out. I've been going through some very tough times, with my own place to live, my job and everything.**

**You all are amazing people, and it's your support that keeps me going with this fic.**

**Now that I'm done, I'll get on with the chapter.**

**Enjoy.**

* * *

A day has passed since Joe's outburst with Blazzette. He laid on the floor of his prison cell, looking at the ceiling.

He could hear the echoing cries of the audience crying out within his cell, assuming the other matches were going on outside.

He heard the door open, in which he turned his head towards those entering.

There was a beast walking along the doors of the cells, covered in burns and cuts.

This confused him.

He yelled to the guard who was walking behind the beast as it entered it's cell.

"How come he's here? I thought the fights were to the death?"

The guard walked over to the cell, and leaned on the bars by its bony arm.

"Princess made a new rule that death isn't allowed in the fights anymore. She says she had a change of heart."

Joe then looked back at the ceiling, and sighed.

"Well, at least I got to her…"

His mind then shifted back to his home back in the overworld.

"Good lord, those girls are going to skin me alive…" He said to himself. "I just hope they're ok…"

His mind then shifted to Cupa, as he reminisced about how they first met. Her shy face, the terrified face she made before he let her live with him, he just couldn't get his mind off her.

He couldn't help but smile at his thoughts on the creeper girl.

He sat up, and popped his neck.

"Wonder if theres anyway I can at least talk to them…" He said, sitting criss-cross, crossing his arms.

He then shook his head, and focused on the task at hand.

"Alright, I'll need to win this tourney if I ever want to get out. I think it said there were eight people who entered...My match was first, and Dreu's was the third...which means I'll have to win this next fight to get to the finals. And I'm sure that bastard's gonna be there too..".

He then stood up, stretching his arms and legs.

"So who's gonna be my next opponent, is my question…" He said, cracking his knuckles.

The door then slammed open, to a Wither Skeleton guard, who didn't seem to like looking at Joe.

"Heads up. You're in the Semi's." The guard said, walking towards Joe's cell.

It opened the door, in which Joe walked out of his cell, and followed after the skeleton.

* * *

They walked down the dark corridor, as Joe slyly grinned to himself.

"And you said I wouldn't make it to the Semi's. How long ago was that? Two days?" Joe teased, infuriating the guard.

"You're lucky the princess would have my head if I hurt you." The guard threatened as it led Joe, leaving its back to him.

Joe snorted. "Calm down, I was just kidding around."

"I wasn't." The guard said in return, sending a slight shiver down Joe's spine.

They walked for a few moments, until they reached the gates to the coliseum, in which they could hear the cries and cheers of the crowd awaiting the battle.

"You won't stand a chance against this one." The guard said, looking over to the opposite gate.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Joe asked, raising an eyebrow.

The guard seemed to chuckle, as it looked at Joe.

"She tore apart her opponent. Nothing but a mangled pile of flesh and bone."

Joe froze at this.

"I...I'm sure it wasn't _that _bad…" He said, laughing nervously.

The skeleton then stared into Joe's eyes

"She didn't even lay a hand on him. He didn't even have a body anymore, he was, _quite literally,_ torn to shreds." It said, emphasizing its words. "It happened so fast, the princess couldn't even show up for it."

_So thats why the third match came so fast…_

"And you get to fight this witch." The skeleton said.

"B-But I thought I can't be killed?" Joe asked.

The skeleton laughed, then looked at Joe in a dead stare.

"There are such things as...'accidents', you know."

Joe gulped at this, as the color seemed to leave his face.

"Now get in there, the champ doesn't have all day." The skeleton said, as the gate to the arena rose.

Joe sighed heavily, and walked through the gate, into the cheering crowd.

He looked around, and still saw everything in its place. He looked over to the royal seating, and saw the princess in her seat, looking at Joe in a state of worry.

He was still a tad fumed at her, as her quickly looked away to his surroundings.

Meanwhile, the princess looked down sadly.

"I guess he still hasn't forgiven me…" She said, sighing.

Back at the arena, upon his examination, he could see a large, red stain on the ground near where he stood.

_A pile of flesh and bone_.

"Oh shit…" He said, realizing it was a bloodstain.

In that moment, another mic check echoed throughout the arena, silencing the crowd.

"Welcome all to the Grand Tourney! Our fighters have pushed their way to the semi-finals, and we have our first match here today!" Krieg's voice echoed throughout the coliseum. "In the East Gate, we have our merciful fighter, who surprised us with the first match of the quarter-finals, Joe the Human!"

In that moment, the crowd went wild in excitement, causing Joe to loosen from his nervous state.

"Looks like these people like the Hero after all." Joe chuckled, waving to the crowd.

"And in the West gate, we have our merci-_less _fighter, who quickly ended her opponent in the second match…"

Joe then looked over to the risen West Gate, and saw what looked like a red-haired woman strutting into the arena.

"The femme fatale of the East Kingdom, Lia the Bloody!"

The woman had long, scarlet-red hair that reached past her bottom, and she seemed to have a black and white-dress that wrapped loosely around her torso. Her skin was pale and white, in which Joe could see almost solid white arms and legs on her.

Joe was slightly intimidated by her ghostly appearance, with the only color contrasting was the color of her hair. But he didn't let this faze him, as he gripped the sheath of his sword.

The woman looked over Joe, and had a maniacal look of lust on her face.

"Ooh, You're a cute one, are you~?" Lia giggled.

Joe went a tad pink, as he braced himself, feeling his heart-rate spike.

"I'm going to have fun~." She said, readying herself as well.

"FIGHT!"

The moment the match began, Joe drew his sword and sprinted at the woman, arm in hand.

Lia giggled at this, as Joe was in range for an attack.

He swung his sword at the woman's side, but soon felt a strange sensation.

His heart felt like it was being gripped, causing him to freeze mid-swing.

"What's wrong?" Lia teased, as Joe was left to his strange sensation.

"The hell...Did you do…" Joe said, shaking from his frozen state.

Lia then moved her head to Joe's ear, giggling.

"The way to a man, is through his heart, is it not~?"

In that moment, a sharp pain surged through Joe's chest, causing him to cry out in pain, and fall to the ground.

"Oh~! That was a very nice scream!" Lia exclaimed.

The pain subsided, as the gripping sensation on his heart seemed to stop.

He took this opportune chance, as he quickly jumped to his feet, and swung his weapon at Lia again.

This time, Lia gracefully dodged the swing, performing a backflip along Joe, just missing his sword.

She was behind Joe, who tried to turn himself, but was met with the same sensation as before, freezing him in his tracks.

She then stepped to Joe, and wrapped her arms around his neck from behind.

"I'm going to have fun with you~" She whispered into Joe's ear.

She then bit Joe's ear, drawing blood.

"What in gods name in wrong with you..." Joe said, unable to move.

"Can we all not indulge in our interests?" Lia giggled.

"Yours are way too fucked up…" Joe said, getting another giggle from Lia.

"I guess it all started when I killed my former master with these powers." Lia said in Joe's ear.

"M-Master?" Joe asked, confused.

At that moment, Lia let go of Joe, only to have some unseen force push Joe away from her.

He flew a few feet, and crashed to the ground.

"You were a servant...And you killed your master?" He said, struggling to stand.

"Yes, I did." She replied, moving her hair out of her face. "And thats when I realized... I'm pretty good at it too."

Joe could only sigh at this, and shook his head.

"Where have I heard _that _before…" Joe said to himself.

"And whenever I do...I just feel so good! Its feels so good to kill!

He raised his head, only to see Lia walking towards him. She had a small stream of blood running down her chin, and was licking her lips.

"My, you taste wonderful~." She said, seeming to be in a state of ecstasy.

Joe was even more appalled at this, as he stared at Lia licking his blood off her lips.

_What the hell..._

He managed to get to his feet, as he held his sword with both hands towards Lia.

"What _are _you!?" Joe yelled, his sword at the ready.

The woman giggled, wiping the blood from her chin with her finger.

"I don't think this will be enough for me~" She said, as she licked the blood off her finger.

Joe then ran after Lia, and when he was in range, he consecutively swung his sword in multiple directions, but only to have her flawlessly dodge everyone of his blows.

She then found an opening in Joe's swings, as she readied her own hand.

"Gotcha~." She said, as she opened her palm, and struck Joe on the chest, the force causing him to slide backwards on his feet.

This didn't faze him, as he readied his weapon again.

Lia then raised her hand, and snapped her fingers.

It was at that moment, a sharp pain surged throughout his entire body. His skin felt like it was being torn open, as cuts and gashes formed all along his body.

He yelled in pain again, giving Lia a burst of ecstasy.

She then ran to Joe, getting very close to him. He managed to raise his sword, only to have something bind his arms.

He looked to his wrists, and could see a red, hair-like whip binding his arms.

He then realized it was Lia's hair, as it binded both of his arms, preventing him from moving.

"Scream for me!" Lia screamed, as she lifted Joe from the ground with her hair, and sent him crashing to the ground on his back.

Joe screamed in pain at this, only to have Lia have more looks of ecstasy on her face.

"Ooh, you're screams are so nice~. Let me hear more!" She said, as she used her hair to lift Joe by his ankles. His grip on his sword was lost, as it fell to the ground.

She lifted him to where he was equal height with their faces.

"What….the hell are you…." Joe managed to say, his whole body aching in pain.

She giggled, as she caressed Joe's cheek with her hand, and wiped off a stream of blood from Joe's previously bitten ear.

"I expected you to know what a Blood Witch is, don't you?" Lia asked, as she lewdly licked Joe's blood off her finger. "I can control the blood flow of any person at will."

"So..what did you do...to my heart…?" Joe muttered, clouded with pain.

"The heart can't sustain a large amount of blood at once. So I streamed that large amount to your heart. The pain came from the strain your it experienced." She explained, smiling.

In that moment, she swung Joe over her, making him fly behind her, causing him to crash into a wall of the battleground.

When the dust settled, Joe was left laying on the ground, unable to move.

_I can't believe she's getting off to this...I don't know whether to be disgusted or embarrassed..._

Lia then let her hair fly towards Joe, as it picked up him by his wrists and ankles, leaving his limbs spread out, with his head limp.

"Let me hear you scream!" Lia yelled, as she used her hair to pull Joe's limbs in opposite directions.

"Aaaagh!" Joe screamed out in pain, feeling like his arms and legs were about to be torn off.

Lia continued to pull, as Joe continued to scream in pain, as she was biting her lip and caressing herself in complete ecstasy and pleasure.

"Thats it, like that! Your screams are so erotic~!" She moaned, listening to Joe's painful screams.

Joe struggled to fight against her grip, but he was having a very hard time. Her strength was greater than his, as he mustered as much strength as he could to fight against her.

Meanwhile, Blazette looked in horror as Joe's torture, as tears were leaking from her face.

She heard his tortured screams echo throughout the battleground.

She was powerless. She couldn't interfere with an official Tourney match.

All she could do was watch Joe's torture at the hands of the Blood Witch.

After a few moments of this, Lia finally loosened her grip on Joe, but still held on to him.

His head went limp the second she loosened her grip.

"Oh, don't tell me you passed out. Theres still so much to do~" Lia said, as she walked up to him.

Meanwhile, Joe's almost lifeless body still had some life in him.

_What am I going to do...I can't lose like this…_

Lia placed her hand on Joe's cheek, lifting his head.

_I have friends I have to go back to...I can't lose now…_

"Guess I'll just have to wake you up~" Lia said, preparing her hand.

_Friends…_

She swung her hand, delivering Joe a quick slap across the face.

This proved ineffective, as she continued to strike Joe's face.

"Wake...Up!" She said, in between slaps.

_Friends...Will be...Your strength…_

She kept slapping and slapping him across the face, hoping to wake him up.

_My...Strength…_

Lia seemed annoyed that her efforts to awaken Joe were ineffective.

"Seems I'll need to be a bit rough." She said, as she moved her hair to her back.

She then used a bundle of her hair to form a dagger, as she readied it near Joe's stomach.

_I need...Your strength...Everyone…_

"Wake up~!" Lia yelled, as she swung her dagger, intending on stabbing Joe.

_Lend me your strength!_

In that moment, a light came from underneath Joe's armor and clothes.

This caught Lia's attention, as she stopped mid-swing to look.

Joe then opened his eyes, raised his head, and looked at Lia.

"Out of my face!" He yelled, before bringing his head back, and thrusting it forward, delivering a swift head-butt to Lia's face.

She put her hands to her face, screaming in her own pain, as her grip on Joe fully loosened.

He took this opportunity to retrieve his sword, as he held his sword in front of him with both hands. He then pulled out his wayfinder, which was the cause of the strange glow.

_Just please lend me your strength girls...I'll be home soon!_

He then sprinted towards Lia, who had just recovered from the blow.

She had the most angry look on her face, as she stared at Joe running at her.

"You little rat!" Lia screamed in anger, as she sent her hair towards Joe, all pointed like knives.

Joe analyzed this, and quickly stepped out of the way, the hair just barely missing him.

He took this opening to raise his sword, and swing down on the hair, severing the scarlet spears of hair.

A look of horror came across her face, as she saw her cut hair fall to the ground.

What was left of her hair returned to her, but it was shortened.

She attempted to use it, but nothing seemed to happen.

"My...My precious hair!" She screamed in horror.

"Can't do much without that, can you?" Joe mocked, causing Lia to go berserk.

"Don't toy with me!" She screamed, as she held out her hand to Joe, as if she was crushing the air.

Joe stood there, unaffected by Lia's attack.

"W-What?" Lia asked herself, in confusion.

"You're not in control of my body anymore!" Joe yelled, readying his weapon. "It's payback time!"

A look of fear came across Lia's face, as she started to shiver.

"N-No! Stay back!" She begged, watching as Joe walked towards her.

"After all you did to me? I'm not leaving a single scrap of you alive." Joe coldly said, as he stepped closer towards Lia.

In that moment, Lia about-faced, and started running.

"S-Stay away from me!" She screamed as she ran.

This prompted Joe to run as well, as he ran after the fleeing witch. He ran until he was mere feet away, in which he prepared his swing.

"Take your punishment!" He yelled.

The moment Joe said those words, something triggered in Lia's mind, causing her to fall to the ground and start screaming. She was completely hysterical.

"N-No! Please! No more punishing!" She screamed.

Joe hen stopped his swing after hearing this.

"No...More?" Joe asked, confused at what she meant by "more".

"Lia's a good girl! I haven't done anything wrong! Please don't punish me, master!"

Joe's face beamed in surprise, as he lowered his weapon.

The light beaming from his wayfinder seemed to die down as well.

"I always kill people for you! I'm a good girl! Please!" She continued to beg and beg.

Joe couldn't believe what he was hearing. He could see everything about her through her screams

Lia was a victim of abuse. And it traumatized her.

He was able to decode that Lia was a servant of a powerful man. He took advantage of Lia's powers for his own gain, killing people he didn't like.

Though even though she did this, he never thanked or acknowledged the heavy burdens of taking a life put on her.

He could only think that this man abused her beyond belief, which could answer her sudden outbursts.

He could fully understand what was wrong with Lia, why she acted like such a sadist.

She thought that because killing her abusive, former master felt so good to her, and being her mind was very messed up before this, she thought that the more she killed, the better she could feel.

He looked at the screaming and crying girl, sheathing his sword.

"You poor thing…" He said, as he crouched to her level.

"N-No! Please! No!" Lia screamed.

"Lia, calm down, I'm not going to hurt you!" Joe said, grabbing Lia's wrists.

She flailed them around, trying to break free, as she was screaming in Joe's face.

"No! I was good! Please don't hurt me!"

Joe was pushed past his patience line, as he grabbed Lia's shoulders, and screamed in her face:

"Lia, shut up for five seconds!"

In that moment, Lia stopped screaming, going completely silent, staring at Joe.

"I'm not going to hurt you. The fights over." He said, staring back at Lia.

"I-Its...over?" She asked.

"Yes. It is." Joe said, smiling.

He then pulled the girl into a tight embrace, wrapping his arms around her neck, letting her head rest on his shoulder.

"And I understand."

Her face beamed.

"W-What?"

He let go of Her, and looked into her eyes.

"You don't need to cling to the past anymore. Just because it felt good to kill one person, doesn't mean that it will do justice on an another." He said. "You can do so much more than taking lives like that."

"B-But...If I can't be a killer...What can I do?" Lia asked.

"Are you kidding me? You can control the flow of bloodstreams in any living person! Do you know how many lives you can save with that kind of power? You can stop one from bleeding out! Or even control blood thats tainted with poison!" Joe explained.

"I can….help? And….not kill?" She asked.

Joe smiled at this question.

"Thats for you to decide. Do you want to help people with your extraordinary and unusual power? Or do you still want to instill fear?"

Lia looked down, thinking to herself.

"I…."

Joe looked at her, awaiting her answer.

"I...don't know…"

Joe could only sigh and shrug his shoulders.

"Well, I can imagine if this has been a regular thing to you. It can take time to get used to another life." He said, scratching his head.

She looked at joe, partially confused at his statement.

"I guess I can understand if I can't instantly make you good. Minds just don't work that way." He said, standing up.

He then extended his hand to Lia.

"Come on. I'll take you out of here."

Lia started at Joe's hand, then back to him.

"If I can't persuade you to be good, then at least let this be the first step."

"W-What...Would that be?" Lia asked.

Joe smiled at this, still holding out his hand.

"Trust."

She looked at Joe's hand, his words echoing through her mind.

Her hand then raised, as she took Joe's hand.

He grabbed on, and helped her up to her feet.

"Are you alright to walk?" He asked.

She nodded, letting holding onto Joe's hand.

"Alright, lets get you to the-" Joe said in the middle of letting go of Lia's hand, but found she was still holding onto it.

She looked at Joe with a slightly pink face.

"Could...I hold it...until we get there?" She shyly asked.

He could only smile at this, as he nodded in return. He then started walking towards the gate, with Lia slowly following behind him.

Meanwhile. Blazette watched over the whole thing, smiling brightly.

"I guess he really is the Hero you were dreaming about, Milady." Krieg said, looking over the two walking out of the battleground.

The princess looked over the two, with a radiant, hope-filled smile on her face.

"I never doubted it."

* * *

About another hour had passed, as Joe was requested by Blazette again.

He walked through the halls of the dungeon-esque corridor, Lia on his mind.

"Hopefully that experience will help her out." He said to himself.

He then felt his shoulder pop, as he groaned in slight discomfort.

"Still, that kinda hurt…" He said, rubbing his shoulder.

He eventually reached the door, in which he sighed to himself.

He then opened the door, and much to his surprise, the princess was waiting for him at the lobby, with a bright smile across her face.

"I'm guessing you still want to warn me about something?" Joe joked, chuckling.

Blazette laughed along, until she spoke.

"I brought you here to apologise."

Joe was surprised at this request.

"Apologise?"

"I was rather cold with you yesterday, even though you had a very valid point with your actions...I'm sorry I couldn't have seen it sooner…" She said, a slight look of guilt across her face.

Joe scratched the back of his head. "I-I was kind of cold as well...I'm sorry for lashing out like that."

Blazette shook her head. "No need for apology. I realize that if you want to help, some rules are going to have to be broken."

Joe smiled at this. "I'm glad you can understand. And I guess I can understand if there are some feet I can't be stepping on. I am a prisoner here after all."

"I'm just surprised you changed the heart of that psychopath down there...She could have killed you at anytime." She said.

"You'd be surprised at what opening your heart to someone can do to their heart." Joe explained, smiling.

"Yeah….I guess I can get that." The princess said, smiling back at Joe.

Joe nodded back, as they laughed along together.

"Well, I should get back to the cell. I still have the finals to look forward to tomorrow." Joe said, turning around.

"W-Wait…"

He turned back to Blazette's pink face, confused.

"Perhaps...You could stay for dinner? A-And maybe you could stay the night in the guest room…"

"R….Really?" Joe asked, surprised.

"W-Well, I'm sure the prison must be uncomfortable...And you have a big match tomorrow, so you'll need your rest…" She timidly muttered, her face getting redder by the second.

"I-I guess." Joe said, attempting to remain humble. "A-And the food is not really...Edible, is how I would put it."

"Well, we have the best food in this world, so I'm sure you won't be disappointed." Blazette replied.

"I've been gathering my own food for me and seven other people before I came here, so anyone offering _me _food, I consider it a godsend." Joe chuckled.

"Well, consider it a repayment for your sacrifice here. You faced death so many times, but your heart stayed true." The princess offered, smiling radiantly.

"Well, a heart needs to stay strong, otherwise it will stray. Just look at Lia. Her heart and mind went completely off path. She was lost." Joe mentioned.

Blazette nodded. "Agreed." She said, then turned around. "Now, what are your preferences for dinner?" She asked, as she walked towards the stairs.

Joe's face beamed at this, as he followed after the princess.

"Ohohoho, I get a choice!"

* * *

**My feet are almost frozen. I'm hopped up on three different types of energy drinks. It is goddamned eight in the morning.**

**Man, you're lucky I love you guys.**

**But really, I enjoy making these just as much as you all enjoy reading these. Its just kind of a pain when the only free time I have is past midnight…**

**You all are amazing people, And I look forward to seeing you in the next chapter.**


	22. Calm Before the Storm

**Well, I finally got some sleep. Hopefully this chapter will go well, because I kind of want to make filler before the Final Battle of the Tourney.**

**I'm mentally exhausted from the last one, so I kind of want a breather.**

**I hope you can understand, the most exciting of chapters take up about 3-4 hours to type, scaling to about over 4,000 words each.**

**Well, most of them anyway.**

**Anyway, I'm done complaining, you waited for a chapter, and I'm delivering.**

**Enjoy.**

* * *

"Ugh….My head…"

Joe had awoken the next morning inside of the bed of the castle guest room, covering in the regal sheets.

"What the hell happened last night…?" Joe said, rubbing his aching head. Much to his surprise, he was in his normal clothes, with his armor and sword over on the other end of the room.

He rested his head back onto his pillow.

"I've got that big fight with Dreu today…Shit…" He complained.

He sat up, but found that something was bounding him by his left arm.

He lifted the sheets to see what was holding him down, and the sight turned him beet red.

There laid the Princess, Heir to the North Kingdom of the Nether, royal and regal in every way...laying next to Joe, snuggling with his arm.

"W...W...What…" Joe muttered, to shocked and embarrassed.

He was surprised to see she was not wearing her gauntlets and greaves, all she had on was her two-piece.

HIs mouth gaped open in shock at the sight of the princess.

She made a slight moan in her sleep, in which Joe prompted to cover his mouth.

_Just what the fuck happened last night!?_

He tried to wiggle his arm out of Blazette's grip, but the more he struggled, the more she tightened her grip.

_Shitshitshit...This is not good! If someone finds us like this, they'll probably have my head!_

"Please...Don't go…"

Joe jumped a bit at hearing this sudden voice. He looked over to the princess, and noticed she was talking in her sleep.

"Please, don't go...I'll be all alone…" She muttered in her sleep.

Joe's eyes widened in shock at this.

_Is she talking about her parents? Or maybe a boyfriend? Or something?_

"I miss you two so much…" The princess moaned.

_Probably her parents...Speaking of that, where are the King and Queen? If shes a princess, wouldn't that make her a Queen?_

He sighed at this, and looked at the sleeping beauty.

_She must be really lonely here…_

He was still laying on the bed, in which he turned to his side, facing the princess.

He then took his free arm, and wrapped it around the princess's back, his hand on the back of her head.

_Krieg would kill me if he saw me like this…_

He held her head close to his chest, and could hear her cooing in her sleep.

The scent of her hair permeated his nose, leaving a pleasant smell.

_Huh...Red Hots…_

He was like this for a few moments, passing the time with his thoughts.

_I can remember doing this with Cupa one time when she had a nightmare...She was so adorable when she was terrified…_

He could hear the tiny snores of the princess, causing him to chuckle to himself a bit.

_You know, being a independent, strong, royal figure...Shes kinda cute when she's sleeping...Almost as cute as Cupa…_

He was surprised at his own thought.

_That was weird...Why am I thinking about Cupa so much?_

He shook his head to clear his thoughts, as he looked back to the sleeping princess.

The princess then moaned slightly, as she had awoken from her slumber.

Joe flinched slightly at this, as he let go of her, and laid back onto his back.

Blazette opened her eyes, and found she was cuddling with Joe's arm.

She went bright pink, as she looked back to Joe.

"M-Morning…" Joe said, trying not to make the situation more awkward.

The princess let go of Joe, as she sat up.

"M-Morning…" She muttered.

Joe then sat up, and scratched his head.

"Any...Chance you know what happened last night?" Joe asked.

"W-Well, we had a few drinks of wine with dinner...I guess we went a little overboard with it…" Blazette answered.

The color from Joe's face sunk, as he slowly looked at the princess.

"Did we...You know...'Do it'...At all?" Joe nervously asked.

She put her hand her her mouth in embarrassment, as she looked away from Joe.

"Do...You really want me to say what we did?" The princess said, blushing.

_OH SHIT._

"I-I-I'm sorry! I didn't know what I was thinking! I mean, I was a tad intoxicated, and my judgement was faded, but I didn't mean to do anything!" Joe yelled in a frantic state.

Meanwhile, the princess was smiling to herself, slightly laughing.

"Calm down, I was just joking. I guess I passed out while we were going over strategies for the fight today." The princess said, laughing at Joe.

A wind of relief blew over Joe, as he sighed.

"Don't scare me like that…" Joe said, scratching his cheek.

She giggled to herself, watching Joe's reaction.

"I had to. You scared me a bit when you fought against Lia." She mentioned. "I couldn't bear to see anyone tortured like that…"

Joe slightly chuckled to himself, remembering the fight. "Yeah, that hurt like a bitch…I thought she was going to tear my arm off."

"Well, at least she's calmed down now. I actually had word she cooperated with the guards." She said, remembering the previous night.

"W-Well...Either she changed, or she hasn't and she couldn't use her hair, and the guards are skeletons, so she couldn't control them…" Joe said, making a valid point.

"True...but, she hasn't caused trouble since you escorted her. I think you really reached out to her." The princess said, smiling.

"I guess…" Joe said, nodding slightly. "So...When is the match?" Joe asked.

"Well, since its the final match of the tourney, preparations have to be made." Blazette explained.

"Ah, I see. I heard the prize of the match will be announced at the beginning of the match." Joe mentioned.

After hearing what Joe said, Blazette seemed to try and change the subject.

"Y-Yeah...W-Well, If you're interested, We can go down for breakfast. You'll need your energy for your match." Blazette offered.

Joe raised an eyebrow.

"You really want me to win this, don't you? I mean, the death rule has been lifted, so if I lost, it wouldn't really matter...Except I probably wouldn't be able to get home." Joe said, looking at the princess.

"W-Well, if you're going to be the hero from my visions, you'll need to prove to the other Kingdoms that you're over par…" She said, getting a nod from Joe.

"I still don't really believe that I'm this mysterious hero from your dream, I'm just one guy…" Joe said.

_Plus your dream sounds like its from The Legend of Zelda…_

"I believe you are. Anyway, we should get to breakfast. I'm a tad famished after all this excitement going on…" Blazette said, rubbing her stomach.

"Yeah, I'm starving." Joe said, getting out of bed, with Blazette following after.

"I wonder what they could be serving…" Blazette wondered, with Joe shrugging as they left the room.

* * *

They walked down the halls, on their way to the dining room.

They approached the door, in which Blazette stopped Joe.

"I-I should go in and tell the chefs you're here for breakfast. I'm sure they would be surprised to see you here again." She mentioned.

"Good point. I'll wait here." Joe said, as he stayed behind.

Blazette then entered the room, and much to her surprise, someone was already in the room.

She found it was Dreu, who was being served tea by one of the servants.

"Why, good morning Your Majesty. You're looking as radiant as always." He said in a confident tone.

"Why are you here? Who let you in?" Blazette asked, in a serious tone.

"Why, I was invited here. I merely came in, and before I knew it, I was served." He replied, with a smug grin on his face.

"I don't remember inviting you. You just came in here, didn't you?" Blazette said, with an angered tone.

"Well, I didn't see anyone stopping me." Dreu said, sipping his tea.

"Leave. Now." Blazette demanded.

The prince then put his tea cup on the table, and stood up. "Now now, no need to be hasty. I merely came here to say hello." He said, stepping towards the princess.

"You're not welcome here. Leave!" She yelled.

He seemed to ignore this, as he stepped up to the princess, and caressed a lock of her hair.

"You've always had the Queen's beauty. It's quite marvelous." Dreu said.

She quickly slapped Dreu's hand away, offended. "Don't you dare touch me!" She yelled in Drue's face.

In that moment, the door opened to have Joe walk in.

"Hey, everything alright in here? I heard you yell." Joe asked.

He then saw Dreu, who looked at him with a disgusted face.

"What are you doing here, Rat?" Dreu said with a disgusted tone.

Joe's face went from curious to angry, as he stepped in.

"I should be asking you, slimeball." Joe replied, clenching his fists.

Dreu seemed to laugh to himself.

"Prisoners. I swear, I'm surprised he isn't dead by now. Especially after the day before." He said, with a devilish tone.

Joe was offended by this, as he separated the princess from the prince, getting into the prince's face.

"Is that a threat?" Joe said in Dreu's face.

"Its a promise, scum." Dreu said, insulting him.

Joe then pushed Dreu away from him, nearly sending the smug prince off balance

"How dare you!?" The prince yelled, offended at Joe's action. He then drew his rapier, and pointed it at the young man.

Joe responded to this by grabbing a nearby knife from the table, holding it off-hand.

"What, the prince can't take a hit?" Joe said, chuckling confidently.

"I ought to kill you right here!" Drue threatened.

"Just try, I dare you." Joe said between his gritted teeth.

Blazette then intervened.

"Enough you two, settle it in the arena!" She yelled.

A moment passed, as Dreu then laughed to himself.

"I have no time for low-lives such as you. I have a tournament to win." Dreu said, sheathing his sword.

Joe remained in his readied pose, looking at the prince with a piercing stare.

The smug prince then walked towards the door, then looked back to the princess.

"I'll see you soon, Flare." He said grinning at her.

"Don't you dare call me that. Leave." She demanded.

He seemed to laugh, as he reached for the doorknob.

"I'm only trying to be friendly, My Lady." He said.

Joe then held the knife closer to him. "You heard her. Get the hell out of here."

Dreu 'hmph'ed through his nose, as he opened the door, and walked through, letting the door close behind him.

Joe then relaxed himself, putting the knife back on the table.

"Piece of shit." He said, then turned to Blazette.

"He's a bastard of a man…" She said, looking at Joe.

Joe then sighed. "He seems like a real problem."

"I don't trust him. He was the first one to tell me that my parents were killed..." She said.

Joe froze in place. He then turned to the princess. "K-Killed?"

"Yes...They were on their way to the East Kingdom, when they were killed by thieves." Blazette replied.

"I-I'm sorry for your loss...It must be hard…" Joe said, placing his hand on her shoulder.

She then placed her hand on top of his, as she smiled.

"Thank you...It's hard taking your parents' job…" She said, looking at Joe.

Joe then smiled back, as he let go of Blazette.

"Well, now that he's gone, shall we get to breakfast? All the threatening made me hungry." Joe said, pulling a seat for the princess.

The princess then nodded, as she took her seat.

Joe then pulled his own seat next to the princess, and sat down.

"So...Do we get to pick again?"

* * *

A few hours had passed, as Joe was back in the guest room, along with Blazette. He was fitting his armor on, with Blazette watching.

He strapped his sword to his side, finishing up his set-up.

He then turned to the princess."Well, I guess I should go. The match is in a few minutes." He said to the princess.

She in return nodded. "Yeah. I'll be supporting you."

Joe chuckled to himself, as he scratched his head.

"Heh...I have The Princess rooting for me in a match. 'Honored' feels like an understatement to me right now." He said.

Blazette giggled. "Well, I don't want that slimeball to win. But it doesn't mean I won't care for your safety."

"Thanks. That'll help out a lot." He said back.

The princess then walked towards the door. "I'll show you out. The guard will be waiting."

Joe nodded in return, as he followed the princess out of the room.

She lead him through the halls, back into the lobby, in which the same guard from before was waiting for him.

"Ready to go?" The skeleton asked.

"Yeah. Lead on." Joe said in return. He then turned to the princess. "Well, wish me luck."

Blazette then nodded, as she smiled at Joe.

"I'll be rooting for you." She said, in which Joe nodded in return.

He then turned back to the guard, and followed him out of the door, into the corridor.

The door closed behind him, to the princess looking at him with a worried face between the crack.

It was only the two, as they walked through the dark hall.

"So...Do you still think I'm not going to win?" Joe innocently asked.

The skeleton chuckled at this.

"It would seem you have proved me wrong. You have potential after all." It said, keeping its back on Joe.

Joe then chuckled in return. "Well, I'm honored to hear that."

"Besides. I don't like the prince just about as much as you do." The guard said.

"You think he's a bastard too?" Joe asked.

"Lets just say theres a reason I don't like him. A reason I don't feel like explaining." The guard replied.

Joe couldn't help but smile.

"Well, its good to see you've lightened up to me." He said.

"I just don't want that slimeball winning. You're my only hope of bringing him down." The skeleton replied.

Joe then shrugged to himself, as they continued down the hall.

They eventually reached the same gate from yesterday, as Joe could yet again, hear the cheers and cries of the audience.

"Well, Wish me luck, I guess." Joe said, looking through the gate.

The skeleton simply patted Joe on the shoulder.

"Fuck him up."

Joe chuckled and nodded at this, as he grew more confident.

The gate then soon rose, the cheers becoming more clear.

"Showtime." Joe said to himself, as he walked through the open pass.

* * *

**Well, Get ready for next chapter, because it's going to be epic!**

**The final battle is going to be long, so I hope you're prepared.**

**Thank you for reading, I will see you in the next chapter.**


	23. Decisive Battle

**Hoo boy, I'm excited.**

**I have decided on a pairing, and I will let you guys figure it out in later chapters.**

**Enjoy.**

* * *

Joe walked out onto the arena, with Dreu already waiting in his spot.

He walked to his designated spot, staring at the smug prince.

"Hey, Rat." Dreu beckoned. "If you throw the match, I'll make it worth your while."

Joe's face narrowed in anger, as he gripped the handle of his sword.

"In your fucking dreams." Joe replied with.

The prince simply chuckled to himself.

"It's your funeral." He threatened, gripping his own blade.

Meanwhile, up at the royal seating, Krieg and Blazette were standing by. Krieg then grabbed the microphone, and screamed into it.

"Welcome! One and All! To the Grand Tourney Finals!"

The crowd then went wild with excitement.

"We have two fighters here, who have pushed their way to the finals throughout the past few days. We have our new star fighter, in the West Gate, Joe the Merciful!"

The crowd was hysterical with cheers and applause, all cheering for Joe.

"And in the East Gate, we have our regal fighter from the South Kingdom, Dreu the Champion!"

This time, an even larger applause and series of cheers ran throughout the coliseum.

"Heh. Looks like the crowd likes me more." Dreu boasted.

"Less talking, more fighting." Joe demanded, getting ready in his pose.

"One of these fighters will be taking the Grand Mystery Prize, which we will be announcing before this Final Battle today."

Joe then turned over to the royal seating, and he could swear he saw the princess looking down in embarrasment.

He titled his head in confusion, as he listened to Krieg.

"The Prize will be…."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"The Princess's hand in marriage!"

Joe froze in place at this.

"What!?" Joe yelled, letting go of his sword.

"Due to the recent passing of the King and Queen, The princess will be needed to marry in order to keep the Kingdom running."

The crowd then went absolutely hysterical, some spectators almost falling out of their seats.

"M-Marriage!?" Joe yelled. "I-I can't go with that!"

"Oh? You don't think you can handle it?" Dreu said.

"W-Wait, you knew!?" Joe yelled at Dreu.

"Of course. A rat like you can't hope to have privileges like us." The smug prince replied, adjusting his hair.

"W-Well...I can't go through with that…" Joe said, lowering his hands.

"Oh, so you forfeit?" Dreu asked, grinning.

Joe then looked over to the princess, who was looking over him, with tears in her eyes.

"I….I'm sorry…" Joe said, as he turned around, and started walking.

This shocked everyone, except for Dreu, who was laughing.

"I guess that makes me the victor! Ohoho, I win the princess's hand in marriage!" He boasted.

The princess was about ready to start sobbing, as Joe walked towards the gate.

"Now, I have some rules when I become King." Dreu said, announcing to the crowd.

"One, the North Kingdom will now belong to the South Kingdom! Making one unified land!"

The crowd then started to boo and yell at the prince.

"Their taxes are outrageous!"

"Your military corps are corrupted!"

"People are executed daily!"

Dreu only laughed at this, as he looked over to the princess, who flinched.

"And, as for my future queen…"He said.

Joe then stopped in his tracks.

"She will cater to my every needs whenever I say so. She will feed me, clothe me, and whatever I may need." He said, looking at the princess. "And she will cater to any carnal desire I may come across."

Joe's face beamed in shock after hearing this.

"She will pleasure me whenever I say!" The prince announced.

He then started to laugh to himself, lost in his ego.

In that moment, a sound of loud, fast footsteps could be heard.

He looked down to the source, and reacted with quick reflexes.

Joe had ran all the way across towards Dreu, weapon in hand.

He swung it at the prince, who reacted by unsheathing his sword, blocking the blow just in time.

In that moment, Joe raised his leg, and planted his foot into Dreu's stomach, sending the prince flying backwards.

"What the devil…" Dreu said, standing up.

He looked up to Joe, who had an extremely determined face, pointing his sword at Dreu.

"I thought you forfeited! You said you couldn't handle it!" He yelled at Joe.

Joe popped hi neck into place after hearing this.

"Marriage, becoming King...Its a little too sudden...But…" Joe started. "If you think I'm going to let you place your greasy fingers on Flare, you have another thing coming!"

Blazette's face brightened with both shock and happiness, as she went red, and started tearing up at Joe's statement.

"So its not about the position...Its about the little princess?" Dreu asked, laughing.

"I wouldn't expect you to understand. Slime usually has no emotions." Joe said, holding his sword with both of his hands.

The prince then made a loud cackle at this, as he looked at Joe.

"I'm going to rip you to shreds!" He threatened, fully unsheathing his sword.

"Bring it, pretty boy!" Joe yelled back, readying his blade.

Meanwhile, Krieg fumbled with the microphone, and then yelled into the mic.

"F-Fight!"

Both swordsmen dashed towards one another, and repeatedly swung at each other, only to have the other one block each strike.

Every swing Joe made, Dreu blocked, but every swung he made, Joe blocked it as well.

They seemed evenly matched, until they locked blades.

"I'm going to snap your rusty metal stick in half!" Dreu maniacally said, as he pushed on Joe.

Joe was able to push back, but he could feel the strain on his blade. He quickly pushed Dreu away, and jumped back.

"Crap...This thing will break if I go too hard…" Joe said to himself, as he watched Dreu sprint towards him.

He proceeded to parry Dreu's attack, making him open.

Joe took this opportunity to step forward, and grab Dreu's face.

"Down you go!" Joe yelled, as he slammed Dreu's head to the ground.

After this, he jumped backwards, putting some distance between him and Dreu.

With that moment, Joe felt a pulse on his right hand.

He looked to his sword, and found it was pulsing.

"What the…" He said, only to see Dreu standing up.

"You little rat!" Dreu screamed. "I'll show you not to toy with me!"

In that moment, Dreu held his sword up to him, with his eyes closed.

A purple haze seeme to release from the prince, and then surrounded him in a purple aura.

"Uh Oh…" Joe said, gulping.

The prince then opened his eyes, which were revealed an amber yellow.

"I'll teach you not to mess with the best swordsman in the Nether!" Dreu maniacly laughed, as he jumped all the way towards Joe, bringing his sword down.

"S-Shit!" Joe yelled as he managed to barely move out of the way of the blow.

The impact caused a cloud of dust to form around Joe, fogging his vision.

"Shit, I can't see anything!" He said. He tried to activate his Miner's Vision, but he then felt something strike his back.

"Oh no you don't." Came Dreu's voice through the dust.

Joe attempted to stand, only to have Dreu appear to his side, and kick him in the side. His added strength sent Joe flying, as he rolled roughly across the ground.

"D-Damn…" Joe groaned in pain.

In that moment, Dreu dashed through the dust cloud towards Joe, his sword in hand.

Joe couldn't react in time, as the prince swung his sword, striking Joe across the chest, tearing through his leather armor.

It managed to cut through to his skin, as a large gash was made between the cut leather.

Dreu then proceeded to repeatedly swing at Joe, making minor cuts all around him in a consecutive manner.

He then finished his swinging with a strong knee to Joe's stomach, knocking the wind out of Joe, causing him to drop his sword.

"Pathetic." Dreu said in disgust, as he kicked Joe in the chest, sending him flying backwards.

When he landed on the ground, he rolled into a wall, hitting it hard with his body.

"S-S-Son...Of a bitch…" Joe muttered, laying on the ground, unable to move from pain.

_This isn't good...I'm going to lose at this rate…_

Joe managed to stand up, despite his injuries struggling to bring him down.

"I...need...help…" Joe said. He then pulled out his wayfinder, and held it tight.

Meanwhile, Dreu was slowly walking towards Joe, the purple aura still surrounding him.

"Help? You have no help here. You're helpless!" Dreu yelled across the arena.

Joe looked over to Dreu, watching him walk closer to him.

He gripped his charm tighter, still feeling the pulse he had from the sword.

"W-What's...going on…" Joe said, wondering about the pulse.

"You're losing, thats what! Not so smug now, huh!?" Dreu yelled, as he stepped closer to Joe.

Meanwhile, Blazette watched in horror at the beaten and cut Joe, who was managing to keep himself standing.

"You can do this Joe...I believe in you…" She said to herself.

Back at the battle ground, Joe held on to his charm tighter.

"Please...I need...strength…" Joe muttered.

In that moment, Dreu stepped up to Joe, watching over his actions.

"You're pathetic. You're not fit to run this Kingdom." Dreu said, as he grabbed Joe's neck, and lifted him up.

Joe struggled to breathe, as Dreu gripped his throat tightly.

"The princess is mine." Dreu said, as he threw Joe in the opposite direction.

Joe laid on the ground, struggling to stand up.

"You won't...Touch her…" Joe muttered.

Dreu then cackled in a maniacal laughter.

"And whos going to stop me? You? Don't make me laugh!" Dreu mocked.

"You'll never be a good King...I'm sure you'll never amount as much as the previous king…" Joe mocked in return.

Dreu grew impatient as he kicked Joe over, making him lay on his back.

"The King was weak. He stood no chance against my blade!" Dreu yelled.

Joe's face beamed with anger at this.

"Your...Blade?" Joe asked.

"Of course. In order to become King, I have to make the position avaliable. To do this, I had to kill His majesty." Dreu explained, resting his sword on Joe's throat.

"You...Bastard!" Joe yelled through grit teeth.

Dreu laughed at this.

"Funny. The Queen said the same thing before I slaughtered her too." Dreu said, before grabbing Joe's torn armor. "Now, all I need is to kill you. And my position is cemented!"

Joe grabbed onto Dreu's wrist, struggling against his grip.

"You...won't get away...with this…" Joe said.

"I already have!" Dreu yelled, as he threw Joe forward.

He then proceeded to jump high in the air, readyiong his sword overhead.

He descended towards Joe, who managed to get to his knees.

"Die!" Dreu yelled, as he brought his sword down.

In that moment, moments before Dreu brought his blade down, time seemed to slow down for Joe.

"Everyone...Lend me your strength…" He said.

His wayfinder then flashed with the same mysterious light as the previous day.

"The strength to bring this bastard down…" Joe muttered.

The charm then continued to flash, eventually shining a radiant white light.

"The strength to punish him!"

After that, a flash of white light enveloped Joe and Dreu.

"What!?" Dreu yelled.

_**Clang.**_

After the dust settled, Dreu looked back to Joe, who had a blue aura around him.

He tried to move his sword, but found he couldn't move it.

"W-What the!?" Dreu yelled, as he could clearly see what Joe was doing.

Joe had stopped the blade, catching the blade with the flat parts of the palms of his hands.

He raised his head, looking at Dreu.

"Payback time." Joe said, making a dead stare at the prince.

He then proceeded tograb Dreu's rapier, and yanked it out of his hand.

"W-What!?" Dreu yelled in disbelief.

Joe took no chances with his opening, as he delivered a swift punch across Drue's face.

Then, at the speed of sound, Joe dashed behind the flying Dreu, and delivered a strong kick to his side, sending him flying in the opposite direction.

Dreu landed on the ground with a rough landing, as Joe stood in place.

The prince then stood up, as he looked over to Joe.

"So, the rats got a few tricks." He mocked.

Joe kept his angry face at Dreu, who seemed to be laughing.

The young man then took this chance, as he dashed towards the prince.

He stopped in front if the maniac, as he readied his fist.

"Rrrraaaaggghhh!" Joe screamed, as he delivered a firm punch to Dree's chest. He followed this up with a series of firm strikes across Dreu's face and abdomen, delivering punches in a gatling-gun manner.

He then finished this with a final, strong punch across Dreu's face, sending him to the ground.

Joe then stood above the downed Dreu, breathing heavily.

"You'll regret that."

Joe heard this, as his face beamed in shock.

At that moment, an unknown force sent Joe backwards, but he still managed to land on his feet.

He watched as the aura around Dreu intensified. He could see the prince being lifted off the ground, hovering in the air.

The aura around Dreu pulsed around him, growing stronger by the second.

"It's time for you to die." The prince muttered in a menacing tone.

"Come get some!" Joe screamed at the prince-turned-beast, as he struck a martial arts pose.

Back at the seating, Blazette watching in amazement at the power being displayed with the fight.

"What is going on? What's up with Joe?" The princess asked.

She could only watch as the demonic prince floated in front of Joe.

Down at the battle, the demonic Dreu exchanged stares with Joe.

"I think its time to end this." The prince said.

At the moment, before Joe could know it, Dreu seemed to teleport in front of him, and grab him by the throat again.

"Time. To die." He said, as he threw Joe against a wall, making him smack flat against the wall.

Then, in a split second, Dreu held out his hand to his side, in which his sword flew back to his hand.

"Perish!" The demonic prince screamed, as he threw his sword like a javelin towards Joe.

Blazzete saw this, as she jumped out of her seat, and leaned against the railing of her seating area.

"JOE!"

_**SHUNK!**_

"..."

It grew silent across the entire arena.

Joe laid against the wall, struggling to move.

Dreu's sword had him pinned against the wall, the sword piercing his chest.

"Filthy bug." Dreu said, as he watched the pinned Joe struggle top move.

Blazette could only watch in absolute horror, as she could see Joe pinned against the wall through his chest by Dreu's sword.

"F...Fuck…" Joe said, looking at the sword in his chest.

He could feel the life draining out of him, as he grew weaker and weaker.

After a few moments of struggling, Joe's arms slumped, as the few bits of life Joe had were being drained from him.

"I told you not to mess with me. You should have quit while you were ahead." Dreu said, as he walked up to Joe.

Joe could only raise his head so much to look at Dreu, until it slumped back down.

And then, at that moment…

Joe stopped breathing.

The entire coliseum was quite, shocked over what had happened.

Blazette was so shocked at this, that she burst into tears.

"Well, princess. It seems your hero has fallen." Dreu said, before cackling into a fit of maniacal laughter.

* * *

_Don't give up…_

_You can't give up…_

_You have friends to return to…_

Joe found himself surrounded by darkness, just like in his dreams.

"Well…Looks like I'm finally dead…" Joe said, as he crossed his arms.

_You're just going to take that?_

"Well, what the hell am I supposed to do? His sword pierced my heart...I was dead before I knew it."

_No. Theres still a chance._

"How!? My heart was pierced! I'm fucked! I'm straight screwed! Game Over, No chance!"

_Shut up and focus._

"Focus on what!?"

_The light within you._

"And what the hell is that going to do!?"

_You have friends to return to, just do it!_

Joe then sighed to himself, as he sat on the floor, and closed his eyes.

He focused hard, his concentration not on anything else.

He could feel a pulse.

"What...Was that?" He asked.

He opened his eyes, only to see his own sword floating in front of him.

"M-My sword?" He asked.

_Susano. It is a legendary blade that was used in ancient times to defeat evil._

"Then why is it so rusted and chipped?" Joe asked, grabbing his sword.

_It had been a very long time since it had been in capable hands._

"D-Does that mean it considers me...Capable?"

_It has seen the way your heart works. It wouldn't appear in front of you if it didn't._

"Whoa...It's like from a video game…" Joe said.

In that moment, as he held the blade, he could feel the blade pulsing in his hand.

_Its resonating with your soul._

"R-Resonating?"

_Its time to awaken. Finish that low-life._

Joe could only look at the sword.

"Alright, sword. Lets bring that bastard to justice. For Flare, for the King and Queen...And for everyone he's hurt!"

A light then shined from the sword, as the light seemed to envelope Joe, cutting through the darkness.

"Lets do this!"

* * *

Dreu was basking in his victory, as everyone else watched over the fallen warrior.

Blazette was on her knees, sobbing her eyes out.

"He fought valiantly, Your Majesty. He will be remembered." Kreig said, holding back tears himself.

Dreu was laughing to himself, celebrating his victory.

_**Clink.**_

"Huh?" Dreu said, looking over where the sound came from.

He could see Joe's arms grabbing onto his blade.

"What!?"

An intense blue aura then surrounded Joe, as his arms were on Dreu's sword.

Joe raised his head to Dreu.

"Thought you could snuff me out."

Dreu was shocked beyond belief. Joe was still alive, even after he had pierced his heart.

At that moment, a pulse of energy emitted from Joe, removing the sword from his chest.

It flew past Dreu, grazing his cheek.

"Impossible! You should be dead!" Dreu screamed.

Joe then regained his footing, as he stared at the prince. All of his wounds seemed to be healed, as they all formed back together, as if he was never hurt.

Meanwhile, Blazette didn't know what to think.

Joe was back from the dead. And he was pissed.

"Its time to face your punishment." Joe said in a serious tone.

Dreu gritted his teeth, as his sword flew back to him. "Not if I kill you again!"

He then prepared his sword, and charged at Joe.

The moment the blade touched Joe, the blade shattered, only leaving the hilt of the sword.

Joe chuckled at this, as he watched Dreu's shocked face.

"Now its my turn."

He then reached his hand towards his blade on the ground, in which the blade rose from the ground, and flew back to him.

The moment that the blade's handle touches Joe's hand, the blade instantly flashed with a blue light.

Everyone was then shocked at what the blade had become after the light died.

The sword in Joe's hand looked as if it was never damaged. The rust, the chips in the blade, were all gone. The blade looked brand new, shining with a sterling light.

The sword had looked like it was completely restored, as Joe held onto the slightly glowing blade.

"W-What!?" Dreu screamed in shock.

"Accept your punishment!" Joe screamed back, as he raised his blade.

Dreu flinched at this, as he flew backwards, towards the opposite gate.

The blade Joe held the glowed, as it gathered a stream of energy from Joe's body.

The energy seemed to form a blade, basing from the base of the handle.

After a few seconds, the energy blade had grew to an enormous size.

"Suffer for those you've hurt!" Joe screamed, as he brought the blade down.

The energy blade followed after Joe's swing, as it came down towards Dreu.

Dreu saw this, and screamed.

"No! No! NOOOOOO!" He screamed as the blade came down on him.

Once it had hit the ground, a massive cloud of dust formed around where it had hit.

Joe stood there, holding Susano in his hands.

The dust cleared, to see the body of Dreu on the ground.

Blazette watched over everything, amazed at the climax of the battle.

The aura around Joe seemed to die down, turning him back to normal.

"Gotcha...Ya bastard…." Joe said, before collapsing to the ground.

Blazette saw this, as she vaulted over the ledge, and fell to the ground. She landed on her feet, and ran to the collapsed Joe.

"J-Joe!" She screamed as she ran to the young man.

She slid beside Joe, as she sat on her knees. She lifted Joe's head, supporting it on her knees as she looked over Joe.

"Are you alright!?" She screamed out of fear.

Joe then opened his eyes, smiling at the crying princess.

"Looks like I've won…" He weakly said, chuckling.

The princess couldn't help but smile back, as she held Joe close to her.

"Don't scare me like that…" She muttered.

Joe then sighed. "Man, that took a lot more out of me than I thought…" He said, rubbing his head.

"We'll get you to the infirmary. You'll be just fine." Blazette said, smiling back at Joe, tears still in her eyes.

"Thank you, Princess…" Joe said in return. He then looked over to the body of Dreu.

"D-Did you finish the job?" Blazette asked.

Joe made a sad sigh.

"Yeah...He's gone." Joe said. He couldn't help but feel a wind of guilt blow over him, as he stared at Dreu's lifeless body.

He then looked up, to whatever he could consider a ceiling or sky.

"The Queen and King have been avenged. May they rest peacefully."

The scene then closed, as Joe rested his head on Blazette's head, feeling his eyes growing heavier. He then relaxed himself, as he drifted off to sleep.

* * *

**Holy Balls that was intense. It was like it was something out of Dragonball or Fairy Tail.**

**I dunno.**

**I tried the best I could, so I hope you enjoyed the chapter as much as I did.**

**Thank you for your time, I will see you in the next chapter.**


	24. Return

**Heyo. How is everyone doing? I've been doing great lately.**

**Alright, you're here for a chapter, not my personal life. I'm done blabbing around.**

**Enjoy.**

* * *

It had been several hours since the climatic battle of the Tourney.

Joe was back in the guest room, giving himself a much deserved rest.

Blazzette was also in the room, as she watched over the peacefully sleeping human.

She could hear him slightly snoring, which caused her to giggle to herself.

"You're actually kind of cute when you don't have your guard up..." The princess said to herself, as she smiled at the slumbering hero.

She stared at the young man, turning a tad pink.

"You barely know me, yet you want to protect me with your life...I've never met anyone as kind and compassionate as you..." She said, as she rose from her seat, and leaned over Joe.

"You really are the hero we have been waiting for..." She stated, as she lowered her face to Joe's.

She then gave Joe a quick peck on the forehead, causing him to turn a tad in his sleep.

She giggled more at this, as she returned to her seat.

She then made a slight yawn.

"I'm getting a bit tired myself...That fight made _me _exhausted..." The princess said, wiping tears from her eyes.

She then rested her arms on the side of the bed, and rested her head on her arms, looking upon the sleeping young man.

She felt her eyes grow heavy, as she closed her eyes, falling into slumber herself.

A few moments pass, as Joe then slowly opened his eyes, awakening from his slumber.

He made a pleasant moan, as he stretched his arms.

"I slept like a rock..." He said, sitting up and popping has neck.

He turned his head to see the princess peacefully sleeping against the bed, smiling in her slumber.

"She must have been up for me..." Joe whispered to himself.

He then smiled, as he slowly stood from the bed, making sure not to awaken the princess.

He then pulled the blanket, and laid it on the slumbering princess.

"You deserve the sleep, Flare." He whispered, as he sat on the bed, next to Blazette.

He watched over the peacefully sleeping princess, and slightly rubbed her head.

At that moment, there was a slight knock on the door, in which Joe walked to the door.

He slowly opened the door, to see Krieg at the door.

"Mister Joe, the other-"

"Sh!" Joe interrupted, asking for silence. "The princess is sleeping right now, try and tone down your voice.

Krieg nodded at this. "The other prisoners have requested you, given they are now free because of your victory." He whispered.

"Others?" Joe asked silently.

"The lives you spared and saved in the Tourney" Krieg replied.

Joe then realized Krieg's words, and nodded in return. "Alright, where are they?"

"They are in the foyer, waiting for you." Krieg replied.

"All right, I'll be right down there." Joe said, smiling.

Krieg nodded, and continued down the hall, disappearing from Joe's sight.

He then stepped out of the room, slowly closing the door behind him.

He then started down his way down the opposite end of the hall, heading towards the foyer.

* * *

After a few moments, Joe had reached the foyer, and looked upon the three former combatants.

Braug was the first to see him, as he waved to the young man.

"Brother!" He said, as he walked towards Joe.

"Brother?" Joe asked, only to be met with Braug patting him on the back. The force of the pat made Joe fall to the ground, him laying on his face.

"Yes, you are now a brother-in-arms to me, because you spared my life!" Braug laughed.

_He works a lot like Gorons from Ocarina of Time..._ Joe thought, as Braug picked him up back to his feet.

Ludvia and Lia then stepped forward.

"That was quite the impressive fight for someone such as you." Ludvia said, smiling.

Joe didn't know whether to be flattered or insulted, but he quickly shrugged it off.

"Surprised myself back there..." He chuckled, scratching his cheek.

Lia then quickly hugged Joe out of nowhere, suffocating him.

"We thought you were dead for sure!" She said, holding her death grip on Joe.

"I'm flattered...and all... but...I can't...breath!" Joe croaked, suffocating from Lia's bear-hug.

She then let go, and let Joe catch his breath.

"Jesus..." He said, chuckling.

"We just wanted to thank you for what you've done for us. Ludvia and I wouldn't be here, if it weren't for your mercy." Braug stated, patting Joe's back gently.

"That bastard would have ended me if you hadn't interfered..." Ludvia said.

Joe smiled. "Well, I couldn't let him kill you in front of me. That slimeball played dirty, so I had to do something."

Ludvia went a tad pink at this, as she nodded.

Lia lowered her head, looking at the ground.

"And I wanted to apologize for the pain I put you through in our battle...You were screaming so much..."

"W-Well, you couldn't help it." Joe said, smiling at Lia. "I only wanted to help you. You were screaming in fear, I couldn't hurt you while you were freaking out like that."

Lia smiled gently at Joe, and nodded.

"Thank you. I guess I just needed some help..." She said, looking down.

Joe simply chuckled, and rubbed Lia's head. "Always willing to help out whenever needed."

Instantly, Lia embraced Joe again, in which he smiled and returned the hug.

"You fought valiantly. For that, you have our thanks, and our trust." Braug stated, holding out his large hand.

Joe released Lia, and took Braug's hand, in a firm handshake.

"It's an honor to have you three as friends." Joe thanked, smiling brightly.

Braug nodded in return. "We came here to thank you, but we must be going. We will be in our respective lands, so whenever you are around, be sure to visit."

The young man nodded in return, as he looked over everyone.

"I'll be sure to visit. I promise." He said, smiling.

After a few farewells, the three warriors left the castle foyer, the large front doors closing behind them.

Joe then stood alone, looking at the door.

"There's much more to this world than I thought." He said to himself.

In that moment, Krieg appeared from the upper level.

"Mister Joe, Your Majesty requests you."

Joe looked over, and tilted his head.

"Guess she woke up." Joe said, then started towards Krieg's position.

* * *

He walked down the halls, until he reached the door, in which he opened the door.

He saw the princess sitting on the opposite end of the bed, facing away from him.

"You needed me?" Joe asked.

The princess turned around, with a red face, looking at Joe.

"I need to...talk to you..." She muttered.

Joe shrugged, as he closed to door and walked towards the princess.

"Anything wrong?" He asked.

Blazette seemed to be hesitant with her words, until she spoke.

"Well...I wanted to ask you a question..." She said.

"Well, what is it?" Joe asked, sitting on the bed with the princess.

She looked down, then raised her head.

In that moment, she grabbed Joe, and pinned him to the bed.

"F-Flare?" He asked, massively confused.

She then raised her legs and sat on Joe, straddling him.

"D-Do you want to...D-D-Do it now, or later...?" The princess croaked, stuttering every word.

"W-What are you talking about? And why are you straddling me!?" Joe asked, his face red as a beet.

Blazette then cupped her hand on Joe's face.

"W-We are engaged, are we?" She said, as she rubbed her thumb against Joe's cheek.

_Oh shit. I forgot about that._

"L-Listen, Flare, I don't want to say this to you, but-"

"O-Oh! H-How forgetful of me...I guess..." The princess interrupted.

Joe raised an eyebrow, as the princess cupped his other cheek with her other hand.

"F-Flare?" He asked, extremely confused.

She lowered her head, exposing her just as red face. She rested her forehead on top of Joe's, staring into his eyes.

"The first kiss should be important, am I correct?"

Joe's eyes beamed in shock.

Blazette then closed her eyes, and slightly puckered her lips. She then went in for the kiss, when something stopped her.

Joe had placed his finger on the princess's lips, stopping her.

"I-I...Can't do this..." The embarrassed young man said.

The princess was confused.

"A-Are you nervous?" She asked.

"W-Well, yeah, but I meant that I can't marry you..." He replied.

Her eyes beamed in shock as well.

"W-What do you mean? A-Am I not good enough for you?" She asked, her voice weak.

Joe shook his head. "N-No, it's just...I can't be King...I don't think I deserve to be..."

"What do you mean? You won the Tourney, and won the prize. You have proved your strength, now you can claim your winning." The princess said, her eyes sparkling with sadness.

Joe raised himself, sitting upright, the princess still sitting on him.

"I can't take the responsibility to become a King. Plus, I was only fighting for my freedom. I have a home to get back to." Joe explained.

"But...But..." The princess stammered.

"It's nothing against you. If anything..." Joe stopped, choking on his words. "I don't feel like I deserve a woman as beautiful as you." He said, smiling.

Tears started to swell in the princess's eyes, after hearing his words.

"So….your mind's….made up…" She asked, sniveling.

In response to this, Joe then cupped Blazette's cheek with his hand, and wiped her tears with his thumb.

"I'm sure you'll find your real prince one day. Not just some random-ass guy like me." :He said, smiling.

Blazette smiled back. "But, theres just this thing…"

Joe titled his head in confusion.

"Our engagement is still in set...We'll just have to say, we postponed the wedding. For a later time." The princess explained.

Joe was still confused, as he scratched his head.

"I don't quite know what you mean…" He said.

The princess smiled. "It means that to this kingdom...Theres no wedding, but you are still my fiance."

The color from Joe's face ran out from hearing this.

"So...Theres no wedding….but I'm still engaged to you…" He asked.

The princess smiled, and nodded. "Its, 'until a later time'."

Joe then let his body fall onto the bed, looking at the ceiling.

_This is some To Love-Ru shit right here…_

The princess then raised a leg, dismounting Joe. She laid next to him, holding his arm.

"But...Just to call you my fiance…" She said, her face in Joe's arm. "Makes me the happiest I've ever been..."

Joe went completely red a this.

_Happiest you've ever been, huh…_

He looked at the princess, who had her eyes closed, and was smiling peacefully.

He sighed.

_What a mess…_

* * *

Another few hours had passed, as everyone associated with the North Kingdom was in the royal court room.

Blazette was on her throne, watching over Joe, who was on the raised platform, but was bowing down.

She then asked for silence from the crowd, as she spoke:

"I have brought you all here today, to celebrate a ceremony that has not been performed in a very long time. That ceremony, is the one, that grants one the respect and honor of my Kingdom." She stated.

The crowd burst with a small applause after hearing this.

"I have the Champion of the Grand Tourney here with us tonight. I will be granting the title to him today, as he has proved his strength, bravery, and dedication to the safety of the Kingdom."

Joe went a tad red in flattery after hearing this, as he chuckled.

Kreig then stepped forward to speak.

"The title shall be given through a Knighting, but not just with any means."

At that moment, a guard came forth, with what looked like a blue sheathed Katana.

"He shall be given the legendary blade, one that has been dormant for many years, Susano." Krieg stated. "This shall cement his respect and honor for this kingdom, and give him title of General of the North Army."

The princess then took the blade, and stood from her seat.

She walked down the steps, towards the bowing Joe.

She then stepped next to Joe.

"Rise, valiant warrior."

Joe then stood up, facing the princess.

"Your strength, bravery, and compassion will go down in this kingdom as a legend. All we ask is you keep the sword you awoken, as a symbol of your efforts here."

Joe nodded, as he took the sword from the princess. "Yes, My Lady."

The princess made a secret smile at Joe, who in return nodded back.

"I would also request he keep this sacred pendant, for he will have to return to his own world." She said, as she opened her left hand to reveal a crimson red jewel on a silver relief.

Joe was confused as this as he whispered to the princess:

"What is that?" He asked.

"It is a TroubleStone. It is used as a sort of beacon." She replied.

"Beacon?"

"Well, you said you want to help whenever you can. So I brought this." She said, handing over the pendant.

Joe examined the pendant closely.

"Here, watch this." Blazette said, asking for the TroubleStone.

She took it, and asked for his right hand. Joe then noticed that there seemed to be a small indentation on his gauntlet.

The princess then took the stone, and placed it in the indentation. It seemed to be a perfect fit.

"So, It will like...Do something whenever you need me?" He asked, examining his right hand.

"It will shine with different lights on different occasions. I will have to let you find those out on your own." She replied, smiling.

Joe shrugged this off, as he smiled back.

"Now, It is time for you to return home, General Joe. We will request your assistance whenever it may be needed." Blazette stated.

At that moment, what seemed like a glowing magic seal appeared below Joe's feet.

This took him by surprise, as he looked below his feet.

"May the sword win you many battles, General!" The princess yelled, causing the seal to flash with light.

He looked over at the princess, who seemed to look sad looking at him.

He simply smiled at her, which caused her to lighten up a tad.

The light then started to envelope Joe, until it covered his entire body.

Then, In a flash, the light, seal, and Joe were all gone.

As if he had vanished.

The princess stood there, alone.

She then smiled at her thoughts, as she looked upon Joe's standing spot.

_I'll make you fall for me one day…_

* * *

Everything was white.

It seemed much similar to his nightmares, but this time, everything was enveloped in a white light.

"Guess I'm returning home now." He said, as he relaxed his body, making him feel like he was flying.

At that moment, the light then died down, as he could see all that was behind the light.

A small forest, with a certain decorated cave.

Yep. He was back.

He laughed hysterically to himself, as he jumped in the air in celebration.

"I'm home!" He laughed.

"O-Oh! I gotta go get to Cupa and the others!" He said, as he sprinted down the pathway.

He eventually reached his home, but found it to be rather quiet.

"Huh. I was expecting everyone to be out..." He said as he walked to his door.

He entered and found there was still silence.

"Weird..." He said to himself, looking upon the empty interior of his home. "Where is everyone?"

In that moment, he heard a shriek.

"No! Keep your hands off me!"

Joe jumped at this, and grew worried.

"That was Ria's voice!" He whispered to himself.

He then went to the door that led to the spider girls' room, and listened closely.

"Come on, show your jugs to us!"

"Yeah! You can't keep them to yourself!"

"N-No! I'm saving myself! Don't touch me!"

Hearing that was all Joe needed to know what was happening.

He immediately kicked the door down, revealing what was going on behind it.

There were two men, dressed awfully familiar, subduing Ria. One had her in a full nelson, while the other was trying to spread her legs, attempting to undress her.

"J-Joe!?" Ria yelled in shock.

Joe took no chances, as he immediately drew his blade and sprinted at the closest man.

"It's hi-!" The man screamed, only to have Joe thrust his sword into the man's chest.

The other man then let go of Ria, and backed into a wall, fearing for his life.

Joe then took his blade, and cut through the side of the man, killing him instantly.

"Y-You little punk!" The shivering man screamed, as he pulled out a dagger.

Joe waved his sword, shaking the blood off his blade, and then turned to the man with his back against the wall.

"Ria, close your eyes." Joe said, as he slowly stepped towards the man.

Ria did so, closing her eyes and covering her ears, blocking out any input.

"D-Don't come any closer!" The man screamed, pointing the dagger at Joe.

Joe said nothing, as he stepped closer and closer.

"You bastard!" The man yelled, swinging his dagger at Joe.

Joe then swung his sword with one swipe, just moments before the man even thought of cutting him.

All the man could see was his arm freezing in mid-air. He looked at it, as he saw his hand drop his dagger.

In that moment, he saw his hand and half of his forearm fall off, cut cleanly from his arm.

"M-My arm!" The man screamed, falling to the ground, tending to his severed arm.

Joe was beyond infuriated, as he raised his sword.

"Where are the others!?" He yelled, his tone rather loud.

"You bastard! You cut half my hand off!" The man screamed, ignoring Joe's demand.

Joe growled to himself, as he swung his sword down.

He stopped his blade at the man's throat, the tip on his Adam's Apple.

"Where. Are. They." Joe growled through gritted teeth.

"D-Don't kill me! Please!"

"NOW! OR I'LL SLAUGHTER YOU!" Joe screamed in frustration.

"I-In a cave! T-To the north! J-Just please don't kill me! You showed mercy at the Tourney, you can't kill a helpless man!" The man begged.

"Tourney? How the hell do you know that!?" Joe yelled, slightly pushing his blade against the man's throat.

"P-Please!" The man begged, practically crying.

Joe thought to himself, as he gripped his sword.

He stayed his blade from the man's throat, as the man sighed in relief.

Joe then immediately raised his sword over his head, staring at the man.

"I may have shown mercy, but no one does that to my friends!" Joe screamed.

The man then looked at Joe, and jumped, shivering in fear.

"No! Please! NO!" The man screamed, only to have Joe bring his sword down, and cut through the man, deeply cutting him, killing him instantly.

Joe looked over the corpse, as he cracked his neck.

He then looked to Ria, who was covering her ears and keeping her eyes shut.

He ran over to her, and grabbed her wrist.

Ria reacted the wrong way, as she flailed her arms around, screaming.

"Ria, calm down! Its me!" Joe yelled, keeping her arms down.

She heard this, and immediately looked to Joe, who was looking at her.

"J-Joe…" She said, as tears swell in her eyes.

"They're gone now, it's alright." Joe said, rubbing Ria's head with his free hand.

Ria immediately flung her arms around Joe's neck, and embraced him, sobbing into his shoulder.

Joe responded with hugging her back, and holding her head.

"I-I was so scared! I didn't know what they were going to do…!" Ria sobbed.

"It's alright, I got you." Joe said, comforting Ria.

After a moment, Joe let go of Ria, and grabbed her shoulders, making her face him.

"Ria, I need you to tell me what's going on." Joe demanded.

She wiped tears from her face, as she spoke:

"A gang of those men swarmed in, and took everyone! They're all gone!"

* * *

**And there it is. I'm sorry about the late update, I've just been so busy...**

**Thank you so much for your patience, and I will see you all in the next chapter.**


	25. Rescue

**Hello. Its been quite some time, hasn't it?**

**I'm sorry I havent been uploading as frequently as I used to, all these complications and such have really been keeping me tied down.**

**You guys are important to me and I don't want to disappoint anyone.**

**Thank you for being patient with me.**

**Enjoy.**

* * *

"What!? They were taken!?" Joe yelled out in shock.

Ria's head slumped, looking at the ground.

"We were just enjoying ourselves, when those horrible men came out of nowhere…." She said, tears welling in her eyes.

"And they took everyone else to a cave...Shit…" Joe despaired, looking at the ground himself.

"I'm so worried about them...They could be in big trouble right now…" Ria said, with a frightened tone.

Joe then stood up, and gripped the sheath of his sword.

"Stay here. I'm gonna go get them back."

"S-Shouldn't I come with you?' Ria asked, standing up as well.

Joe shook his head, and placed a hand on Ria's shoulder.

"You guys have already done enough. Now its my turn to help." He said.

Ria stared at Joe for a few moments, then slumped her head.

"Alright..."

Joe nodded. "I'll be right back. Be on the lookout for anyone else coming in."

Ria then nodded back, which prompted Joe to start out the door.

"J-Joe…" Ria asked.

Joe turned around, and looked at Ria.

"Be safe, alright?"

The young man then smiled, as he walked out of his front door.

* * *

Joe stood in front of his door, unsure of what to do.

"Ok, he said a cave to the north." He said to himself, as he started jogging around his home.

When he reached behind his house, he jogged further into the woods.

"Those guys were Dreu's men. Shit. I need to hurry. Who knows what they could be going through right now." Joe said to himself as he rushed through the forest.

He ran for what seemed like hours, as the sun was starting to set, until he saw a light in the distance.

He ran towards it and found that it was a line of torches.

"A trail…" He said to himself, as he continued along the path of torches.

He eventually came across a cavern, which was lined with torches.

"Why not put a sign saying where you are…" Joe said to himself, as he jumped into the cave.

* * *

The inside of the cave was dark, with only another trail of torches leading the way.

As he walked along the trail, he could hear hearty laughs. Presumably from the other members of the gang.

"Ok, play it quiet for now…" Joe said to himself, as he crouched down, and walked along the wall.

He kept stepping, until; there was an open passage, with a light shining from it.

"So, who are ya gonna play with first? The Snow-woman? Or one of the spiders?"

"I've got my eye on that Ender-girl. I want to know how she screams in pleasure!"

Joe was half-tempted to jump out and attack the group, but he cooled down just in time.

"Fucking bastards…" Joe said to himself.

"Come on, we haven't even touched either one of them! We should be getting some tail now!"

"Calm down, The Boss wants to go first and you know it."

"He won't even know!"

In that moment, there was a sound of a table rumbling and a few yells.

"Don't. Mess. With. The Boss."

Joe raised an eyebrow at this.

"Must be a tough motherfucker…" Joe said to himself. He figured it was time to go, as he quietly stepped past the passageway, making sure no one heard him.

He continued along the way, until he heard a few small screams.

"W-Why are you doing this!? What have we done!?"

"Seriously, what the hell!"

Joe recognized the voices, and grew a shocked look on his face.

"That was Andr and Nia!" He said to himself.

He walked along closer towards the voices, until he came across another passageway.

"J-Joe will get you for this, we know he will!"

"Yeah! He'll kick all your butts all the way to the Aether!"

Joe couldn't help but smile at this.

"Snowy, Lily, you guys give me too much credit." He said to himself.

"Shut up! You all are going to wait right here for The Boss. And your little champion can't help you at all. He's probably dead at his home while your skeleton friend is being ravaged beyond belief!"

"Shows you right, asshole." Joe said to himself, as he peeked through the corner.

He could see all the girls bound up and tied, grouped together.

He could also see a guard facing the opposite direction from Joe, looking towards the girls.

He waved his hand towards the girls to get their attention, making sure to stay quiet.

The first one to notice was Andr, who made the most happiest face when she saw his face.

She nudged the other girls, who all looked to joe, and all had the same looks.

He held a finger to his mouth, signaling silence, in which the girls nodded.

He then took his hands, and imitated closing his eyes, in which the girls nodded again.

They all tightly shut their eyes, as Joe went into action.

He then took his hand, and slapped it across the wall, making a loud noise.

"The devil was that?" The guard asked himself, as he looked towards Joe's direction.

He then walked towards the noise, and when he was close enough, Joe grabbed the man, and covered his mouth.

He then unsheathed his blade, and stabbed the guard through the heart through his back, killing him instantly.

When the coast was clear, Joe took the body and hid it in the darkness, and lightly jogged towards the girls.

"Ok, coast's clear." Joe whispered, prompting the girls to open their eyes.

"W-We can't believe your he-"

"Shhh!" joe interrupted Snowy by covering her mouth. "He's not the only one you know."

Snowy then nodded, as Joe released his hand and started cutting through the binds with his sword.

As soon as the girls were free, all but Nia tackled him, sending him to the ground.

"We are so glad you're safe!" Andr quietly said, as she dug her face in Joe's chest.

Joe chuckled, and rubbed Andr's head. "Don't worry, I promised you all I'd be back."

"Man, those ropes were uncomfortable…" Lilly said, rubbing her arms.

"I can imagine." Joe laughed, then looked towards Nia. "What, you didn't miss me?"

Nia went red at this, as an angry face came across hers.

"I-I did, but only because these bastards would have taken advantage of us!"

"C-Calm down, you need to stay quiet!" Joe said, waving his arms downwards.

Nia then covered her mouth, as Joe stood up and sat on his knees at her.

"No need for the pride act, I know you were scared." Joe said, as he wrapped his arms around the spider-girl.

Nia was offended at this at first, but she then accepted his and hugged Joe back.

As he did this, he noticed something was missing.

"Where's Cupa?" He asked as he let go of Nia.

The girls all then looked down.

"S-She was taken by the leader. He said she was his favorite-looking…" Andr said.

"Son of a…" Joe started. "Ok, I'll go look for her. You guys just get back to the house."

"We can't leave you here!" Lily said, looking annoyed.

"Yeah, we want to help!" Snowy added.

Joe sighed.

"Look, I know you want to help her, but this is too dangerous. They could kill us if we slip up." Joe said.

"So you're saying we would only slow you down." Nia blankly said.

"No no, not that at all." Joe said, as he gripped Nia's shoulders.

"I wouldn't forgive myself if any of you got hurt."

Nia went a tad pink at this, as her expression seemed to lighten up.

"D-Don't go saying that kind of stuff out of nowhere…" Nia said, looking away.

Joe smiled, as he looked to the other girls.

"Now, I want you all to get home now. This is too dangerous for you. These guys know me, so it won't be pretty." Joe explained.

"What do you mean they know you?" Andr asked.

"It was while I was in the Nether. I'll explain it when I get Cupa, just get out of here." He said, as he stood up and walked towards the door.

The girls then followed after him, but went into the opposite direction when they walked back into the darkness.

At that moment, Joe felt something grab him..

He looked back, and saw Andr tugging at his clothes.

"Come back to us with Cupa-chan safe, please…" She weakly said.

Joe smiled at this, as he tightly embraced her.

"I promise."

Andr then returned the hug, and then let go, letting Joe along his way.

He walked along his way, listening to the girls running away.

"Alright, time to go." He said to himself, as he ran down the cavern hall.

* * *

He ran until he reached a large set of doors.

"Bastard must be in here." Joe said as he planted his hands on the door.

"Don't worry Cupa, I'm coming."

* * *

**Man this took a while. I'm sorry for the wait, but here it is.**

**I promise within the next week the next chapter will be up, I swear on my name of an author.**

**Thank you all for your patience, I will see you all in the next chapter.**


	26. Reunion

**Ok, I promised you guys I would make this within this week so here you go.**

**I apologize for any gaps between chapters, I just don't have as much free time.**

**Thank you for your patience.**

**Enjoy.**

* * *

Joe opened the large set of doors slowly, to see a large, empty room.

"Huh?" He asked, confused. "Kinda expected a little more than this..."

He walked into the room, only to have the door shut behind him.

He stood in place, examining the area, when his eyes adjusted to the darkness.

"So the hero's finally here."

This startled Joe, as he gripped his weapon.

"Who's there?" Joe yelled into the darkness.

In that moment, a large man dressed similarly to the other members stepped forward.

"Skinnier than I expected, that's for sure." The man stated.

Joe then smirked at this. "You must be The Boss."

The man then chuckled, as he bowed mockingly. "That I am. Captain Yan at your service."

"Captain?" Joe asked.

"Of the South Kingdom's military regime." Yan stated.

Joe recognized Yan's words.

"South Kingdom. As in one of the four kingdoms of the Nether." Joe asked.

Yan laughed at this. "Yes I am."

"Your men are dressed like Dreu's men back at the tournament. Explain this to me." Joe said, tightening his grip on his sword.

"Let's just say, The King wasn't too happy about his son losing the Tourney. Let alone slain in battle." Yan explained.

"Even though he lost in a formal fight." Joe added.

Yan then shrugged. "We only serve The King. Nothing else."

"Then why do you kidnap my friends!?" Joe yelled.

"The King wants you dead."

Joe was taken aback at this.

"And he wants anyone associated with you to suffer." Yan stated, with a smug look on his face.

"Bastard..." Joe said, as he readied his stance.

Yan then raised his hand and waved his finger.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." He said, laughing.

At that moment, the room illuminated to a little over a dozen of soldiers, all pointing glowing bows at Joe.

"Shit...those bows are enchanted, correct?" Joe said, loosening his grip.

"Poison, slowness, and fire arrows. You won't stand a chance." Yan said, crossing his arms.

Joe then sighed, as he let go of his weapon and raised his hands.

"I give." He said, his arms raised.

Yan made a hearty laugh, watching Joe surrender.

"Yaebi, grab his sword for me." He growled.

In that moment, between the soldiers, a small boy stepped through, showing himself to Joe.

He had tattered clothes, with a teal shirt that was torn from the sleeves, and blue pants that were torn about halfway. He wore a hood with a design of the face of a zombie.

"Y-Yes sir..." The boy named Yaebi squeaked.

He then walked over to Joe, and started to fiddle with the knot Joe had his sword tied to his belt from. He seemed to be having trouble untying the knot.

"H-He has it tied in a weird knot, sir..." Yaebi croaked.

"Here, I'll get that." Joe said, smiling at the boy. He then lowered his hands and untied his knot, and handed his blade over to the boy.

"T-Thank you, sir..." Yaebi said, smiling as he brought the sword to Yan.

"Useless boy." Yan growled as he snatched the sword from the boy's hands. He then smirked a smug look as he looked at Joe. "Toss him in the cell. We leave for the Kingdom tomorrow."

The guards surrounding Joe then stepped closer to Joe and grabbed his wrists together. They then guided him towards another door in the room, and walked him through it and into a dark hallway.

* * *

They walked for what seemed like hours, until they came across a room with iron bars, presumably the cell they were taking Joe to.

All one could see was darkness within the cell, not even with the dim light of a torch nearby.

"In you go." One of the guards said, as he opened the cell door and kicked Joe inside,the force caused him to collapse onto the ground. He groaned in pain, as he landed straight on his left arm.

He quickly sat up and watched as the guards shut and locked the cell door.

"Don't get too cozy. You'll be dead by tomorrow anyway." The guard said, as he and the other guards walked away from the bars of the cell.

Only having the dim light of a torch on a wall opposite of the bars kept him company.

He sighed heavily.

"What a mess..." He said, as he scratched his head.

In that moment, a voice came from the darkness.

"J-Joe-kun?"

He immediately recognized this voice, and looked to the darkness.

"C-Cupa? Is that you?" Joe asked.

Not taking chances, Joe activated his Miner's Vision to see into the darkness.

And better yet, the creeper girl was right in front of him, looking at him.

"C-Cupa!" Joe exclaimed as he immediately embraced her.

"Joe-kun...I can't believe you're here!" Cupa said, as she quickly returned the embrace. She then noticed that he was hugging her tighter than usual, as her face was digging into Joe's shoulder.

"A-Are you ok?" She asked.

"I'm just so happy to see you..." Joe said as he held Cupa close to him.

She went a tad red at this, and smiled.

"I'm happy to see you too..." She said as she held onto Joe.

They stayed like this for a few moments, until Joe let go of her, allowing her to lean back on his chest.

"Are you alright? They didn't hurt you, did they?" He asked, as he wrapped his arms around Cupa's waist.

"N-No, they didn't...But I was still really scared..." She replied, as she went red at Joe's current actions.

"Good...I'd have to skin them alive if they did..." Joe said, sighing in relief.

Cupa then jabbed Joe in the face with her finger after hearing this.

"Don't sound so aggressive. I hope your time in the Nether hasn't changed you" She said, holding onto Joe's arm.

"Of course it hasn't. I don't want anyone hurting you is all." Joe said back, smiling.

Cupa held his arm tighter after hearing this, squeezing it closer to her.

"It makes me happy to hear you say that…" She said, as she held him tight.

Meanwhile, Joe couldn't help but just stare at the creeper-girl as she held onto his arm.

What was it about her? Was it because she's cute? Compassionate? He didn't quite know.

All he knew was that he was the happiest he had been in a while just to see her face again.

"We need to find a way to get out of here. I helped the others before I got to you. They should be home by now." Joe said, looking around.

"Can...Can we just rest for now? You must be exhausted after all that…" Cupa said, looking at Joe.

"No, I'm fine, I just need to-Goddammit!" Joe said, but was stopped by a wince of pain in his left arm.

"A-Are you ok?" Cupa asked.

"Y-Yeah...Damn, I guess I landed on my arm wrong when I was kicked in…" He said, holding his arm.

Cupa then held his left arm close, and leaned up against him.

"You're not moving until this arm is done aching." She said, smiling at Joe.

He could only sigh in defeat, as he slumped his head.

"Well, I should sleep a bit then…" Joe said, as he laid back onto the ground.

Cupa then joined him, as she laid against him, her head on his shoulder.

"Y-You don't mind this, do you?" She asked.

"I-Its still a little embarrassing, but I would rather not you be on the cold ground." Joe said, staring at the cieling.

Cupa couldn't help but smile, as she dug her head into Joe's chest.

After a few moments, Joe could only hear the slight snores coming from the creeper-girl.

He then sighed himself.

"How am I gonna get us out of this mess…."

* * *

**Its a tad short, but I will make up for it in the next chapter.**

**Thank you for you patience, I will see you in the next chapter.**


	27. Open Hand, Open Heart

**You guys have been patient, so I'll keep this short.**

**Enjoy.**

* * *

Joe was sitting on nothing yet again in his dreams, sitting criss-cross.

"When am I going to have a normal dream? You know, one that my brain can give me, instead of these omnipotent voices." Joe pondered.

_Have you become annoyed by me?_

"Well, no, but rather than enjoying a dream, and _actual _dream, I get nothing but a dark void, and a voice out of nowhere. Kinda gets old."

_So you are annoyed by me._

"I'm not saying that! I'm just saying I want to dream something from my mind, rather thanomnipotent beings."

_Then why didn't you say so in the first place?_

"...Come again?"

_If you really wanted the bliss of dreaming, I can give it back to you._

"It's not like I don't appreciate the help you have been giving me. Its a lot better than that creepy bastard…"

_I understand. What would you like to dream about?_

"You can give me dreams?"

_Not quite. I can go into your subconscious and you can experience what has been on your mind lately._

"No matter how good that may sound, with my current situation, I don't think it would be a good idea."

_Then I shall find a happy thought of yours._

"Oh?"

_Yes. Give me a moment._

"A-Alright...If you say so." Joe said, before the voice went silent.

A few moments pass, as the voice returned.

_Ah, I have found a good thought of yours._

"Really?"

_Yes. I will send you to it soon._

"Well...Ok. I guess."

_I'm sure you will have a good dream about that girl._

"...Wait, what?"

_Enjoy your blissful dream. You deserve it._

"W-Wait, What do you mean 'about that girl'!?"

In that moment, a bright light enveloped the darkness around him, nearly blinding him.

The light then went dim, as he opened his eyes.

He could see a white ceiling and with a fan spinning on top.

"Wait…" Joe said, looking around.

He turned his head, and could see shelves of video game cases, a television with a entertainment stand filled with consoles, and a computer.

He was back in his room in the real world.

"N-No way…" He said, absolutely shocked.

He then realized he was laying on his own bed, with the blanket covering him.

"I'm in my old room…" He said, looking at the ceiling.

He tried to sit up, but something was anchoring his arm down.

He pulled the blanket to see a person holding his arm, blissfully sleeping.

"C-C-C…." Joe stammered, beet red.

Better yet, Cupa was the one holding his arm, sleeping peacefully on his pillows.

"C-Cupa….W-What are you…" Joe stuttered, shaking from embarrassment.

In that moment, The creeper-girl, opened her eyes, and looked at Joe, smiling.

"Morning, Joe." She said, looking at Joe, smiling brightly.

This confused Joe. Why didn't she use the suffix "-kun" like she always does?

"M-Morning, but...W-Why are you in my bed?" Joe asked.

Cupa had a confused look on her face, as she sat up herself, revealing herself from the blanket.

She was wearing her green tank-top, along with a lighter green pair of short-shorts. This was all she had on, besides underwear, as her signature sweater was nowhere to be seen.

"What do you mean? We always sleep together." She said, her head tilted.

"W-What!?" Joe said, falling off of his bed.

He then realized that he too was sleeping in his sleeping clothes, with a dark-blue muscle shirt and loose sweatpants.

"H-How did…"

"A-Are you alright?" Cupa asked.

Joe looked up, and saw Cupa looking at him with worry.

"Y-Yeah, just hit my head a bit…" He said, as he sat back up on his bed.

Cupa then grabbed Joe's head, and gave him a quick peck on the forehead.

"Feel better?" She asked, smiling.

Joe went a tad pink at this, as he rubbed the back of his head.

"Y-Yeah, a little…" He said, smiling back.

In that moment, Cupa then grabbed Joe's hands, holding them.

"So?" She asked.

Joe blinked his eyes in confusion. "W-What?"

"Where's my Good-Morning kiss?"

Joe fliched at this.

"G-G-Good-Morning k-kiss?" He stuttered.

"Yeah. You know, the one you give me every morning?" Cupa replied.

"I-I….I do?"

Cupa tilted her head again. "Of course you do! You forgot?"

"W-Well...I…..I guess I must be a little more sleepy than I thought…" He said, in an attempt to appease the creeper-girl.

Cupa giggled at this, as she then closed her eyes.

"Well, I'm waiting." She said, slightly puckering her lips.

Joe went red at this, as he looked at the girl's face.

_Guess I better go with it...I guess…_

He then closed his eyes, as he leaned his face in closer to hers.

_It won't be too bad…_

He leaned in until he was mere inches away, when he heard a word from Cupa.

"Joe…"

Joe heard this, and cupped his hand on Cupa's cheek.

"C-Cupa…"

Joe then inched his face as closest as he could be, as he could nearly feel his lips touching hers.

* * *

Meanwhile, back in reality, Joe snaps awake before the climax of his dream.

"Ugh, my neck…" Joe groaned, popping the joints in his neck.

He the opened his eyes to look around himself.

"Still in the dungeon…" He said, examining his surroundings.

He then realized he was laying on his side, seeing the floor parallel to also could smell a familiar scent to him.

He looked down and saw Cupa's sleeping face in front of him, facing him, and blissfully slumbering.

He went red at this, as he also found out he had his arms curled around her side.

He was reverse spooning her.

_S-Shit..._

In that moment, Cupa adjusted herself in her sleep, her face closer to his.

He could only stare in embarrassment, as Cupa's sleeping face faced him.

_She looks so peaceful...She must have been through a lot..._

He then took his free hand and pulled her head to his chest, in which she nudged her head to a comfortable spot.

_Don't worry...I won't let anything else happen to you..._

He stayed in this position for a few more moments, until Cupa then opened her eyes.

"J-Joe-kun?" She muttered, still half asleep.

"Mornin, sleepy." Joe teased, smiling.

She went a tad pink, but smiled in return.

"Morning..." She said in return.

Joe then sat up along with Cupa, and popped his back and shoulders.

"Joe-kun..." Cupa croaked, looking down.

"Yeah?" Joe replied, looking at Cupa.

She seemed to hesitate, but then spoke.

"Are...Are they really going to take us to the Nether?" She asked.

Joe chuckled. "I think I'd rather die than have them touch you again."

"Does that mean we are getting out?" She asked in return.

"Yeah, I've got a plan. It's a bit dangerous, but I'm going to need your help." He said.

Cupa then nodded. "Alright, I'll do my best."

Joe nodded back, as he looked out of the cell, then back to Cupa.

"Ok, here's how it's going to go down..."

* * *

A few moments pass, as one of Yan's men started walking down the hall towards the cell.

"Wakey Wakey." He said, banging on the cell doors.

He then opened the doors to see Joe and Cupa sitting away from each other.

"The Boss wants the girl first. Then we'll be on our way to the Kingdom." He said, walking towards Cupa.

In that moment, Cupa looked towards the guard.

"Alright, but there's one thing..." She said. "Wouldn't...You like to have me first?"

"Huh?" The guard asked.

Cupa then grasped the zipper to her jacket, and slowly started to pull it down, exposing her neck and nape.

"He wouldn't know..." She said, starting to breath heavily.

The guard then smirked.

"I guess a quickie wouldn't hurt" He said, grasping his pants.

At that moment, Joe went into action.

He quickly stood up and ran up to the guard and pulled out his own sword from his side.

"What the-" The guard said before having the blade pierce his throat.

With a gurgle of blood, the guard collapsed, dead on the spot.

"Bastard..." Joe said, before removing the sheath from the guards side and strapping it to his.

Cupa zipped back up her jacket and stood up.

"Ok, it looks like he left the door open." She said.

"Good. Follow me, and stay quiet. We don't know what these guys might be up to." Joe said.

Cupa nodded, as she followed suit after Joe, tip-toeing behind him.

They exited the cell, and started down the hall.

"I need to find Susano, and then we get the hell outta here." Joe whispered.

"S-Susano?" Cupa asked.

"Its the sword I got while I was in the Nether. Long story, I'll explain later." He replied, leading Cupa through the dark hallway.

They eventually creeped along the hallway until they reached the large room Joe was in the previous day.

"Is it around….There!" Joe said, finding his sword up against a chair. "I just need to grab that, and we'll get out of-"

_**SMASH!**_

Joe was immediately interrupted and sent flying from some unknown force as he reached for his sword.

He crashed to the ground, grunting in pain near Cupa.

"J-Joe-kun!? Are you okay!?" Cupa cried out, tending to Joe.

Joe sat up, rubbing his aching head. "What the hell was…"

"You two are sly, I'll give you that."

Joe and Cupa looked to the shadows, and could see the general himself stepping from the shadows.

"But it looks like we'll have to apprehend you both again." Yan said, crossing his arms.

Joe then stood up, hiding Cupa behind him.

"You don't have to do this Yan. The King is just mad his son lost in a fair duel." Joe announced, locking a dead stare at Yan.

Yan chuckled at this. "You don't seem to understand. The King's orders are absolute. Now we can do this the easy way, or the hard way."

In that moment, one of the guards placed his hand on Joe's shoulder.

"We'll do it my way!" Joe said before grabbing the guard's hand and throwing him over his shoulder.

He then grabbed the guard's bow along with his arrows and attempted to fire it at Yan.

He released the arrow, only to have it stop in front of his face.

Yan caught the arrow in mid-air.

"Nice try, but that won't work." He said, as he snapped the arrow in half with his fingers.

Joe then pulled his sword, and readied his stance.

"Pretty selfish King you serve." Joe said, locking stares with Yan.

"But I kind of agree with him" Yan said, as he reached over his right shoulder, and gripped something.

He then pulled out what he was gripping, to show a rather large cleaver-like sword, and pulled it over his shoulder.

"Shall we?" He said, smirking at Joe.

Joe took this taunt, as he dashed towards Yan, his blade ready.

As soon as he swung it, Yan swung his blade down on Joe.

He reacted by bringing his sword up in the knick of time, the blade just nearly taking his head off.

Their blades were locked, but Yan had an upper hand, due to his size.

He pushed Joe onto his knees, the young man struggling.

"Big...Son of a...Bitch..." Joe croaked in his struggle.

Yan could only guffaw in laughter, watching Joe squirm to keep himself up.

"You asked for it!" Yan yelled, as he brought his other hand, and swiftly clobbered Joe in the face.

He flew a few feet, but got his footing back. He had little time to react, but he managed to closely dodge a swing from Yan's sword.

Joe slid across the ground, holding his bruised face.

_What's with this guy? He can swing that huge ass sword easily! _

Yan then rested his sword back on his shoulder.

"What, tired already?" He chuckled.

Joe looked around, finding ways to help himself.

_If only I had Susano back..._

Yan then immediately went into action, as he dashed towards Joe, swinging his blade.

Joe managed to dodge a few of the blows, but one of the strikes sliced into him, cutting his left arm.

"S-Shit..." Joe said, as he collapsed to the ground, holding on his bleeding wound.

"J-Joe-kun!" Cupa screamed in despair, as she could see a small pool of crimson below Joe's left arm.

Yan could only laugh, as he watched Joe slightly writhing in pain. He walked over to him, looking down upon him.

"So, you'll go smoothly?" Yan asked, with a smug grin on his face.

Joe remained silent at this.

Yan then chuckled, as he turned his head towards the guard holding Cupa.

"Get him tied. We're late for his-gaghh!"He said, as he was interrupted by an unseen force.

Joe had managed to stand up, and swing his blade forward, cutting into Yan's torso.

While Yan flailed in pain, Joe then swung his sword again, managing to cut Yan's face and shoulder.

Yan stepped back, covering his own wounds.

"Slippery bastard..." He said, looking at Joe.

Joe stared at Yan, with the most angry yet determined face he could make.

"I don't care what the King wants. No one messes with my friends like that!" Joe screamed, as he readied his stance.

Yan then made a chuckle. "Yeah, but without your sword, you won't do a thing!"

Joe had no idea what the General was talking about, but he looked at his own sword.

He found it had snapped about a few inches off the cross-guard, only a few inches of the blade attached.

"How did..." Joe said to himself, looking at his broken sword.

"Guess you're out of luck without a weapon." Yan smirked.

Joe threw aside the broken sword, and readied his close-combat stance.

"What, you're gonna take me on with your bare hands? Don't make me laugh!" Yan laughed.

Joe clenched his readied fists at this. "Laugh all you want. I'm not down yet!"

Yan then raised his blade, and pierced the floor, standing the blade up.

"Alright, I'll play along." He said, cracking his neck and fingers.

In that moment, Joe dashed towards Yan, as they engaged in close combat.

Meanwhile, Cupa could only watch as Joe and Yan scuffle in battle, both evenly matched.

Something caught her eye, as she looked over to her right.

She could see the little boy from yesterday, looking at watching the battle with a worried face, carrying a blue sheathed sword in his arms.

"Psst...psst! Hey!" Cupa whispered to the boy.

He looked over to the creeper-girl, with a confused face.

"Is that Joe-kun's sword?" She whispered.

Yaebi nodded at this rather shyly.

"He needs that blade! I saw how Yan treats you, I know you don't like him either!" Cupa said, keeping her voice down.

The boy seemed indecisive at this, as he seemed to be balancing his choices.

"We could help you!" Cupa said, but accidentally letting her voice out a bit too much.

The guard responded by yelling for silence at her, as they continued watching the fight.

Yaebi thought to himself, then looked back towards the scuffle.

Meanwhile, back at the fight, Yan had delivered a swift kick to Joe's side, sending him back, sliding on his feet.

Joe was at his limit with this fight, as he was panting, with bruises and bloody spots all over him.

Meanwhile, Yan had little to no bruises on him, practically unscathed.

"That can't be all you have." He said, his smug look back.

Joe could do nothing but barely keep himself standing, panting with each breath.

"That's what I thought." Yan said and we walked over to Joe and picked him up by the collar on his clothes.

He then proceeded to repeatedly clobber Joe in the face.

Meanwhile, Yaebi watched in horror along with Cupa, watching Joe receive each brutal strike at a time.

Cupa looked over to Yaebi, with a horrified face, which prompted him to look back at her.

"Please..."

The boy then looked to the ground, lost in his thoughts.

He then made his choice.

"Hey, General Yan!" He yelled to the man.

Yan then stopped his beatings, and looked over towards Yaebi.

"You're ugly and you should rot in the deepest prisons of the Nether!" He yelled.

Yan's anger skyrocketed at this, as he dropped Joe and started to step towards Yaebi.

"What was that, boy?" He growled.

"You deserve to burn forever in the magma of the Nether!" Yaebi yelled out.

As soon as Yan was close enough, Yaebi tossed the sword in his arms towards Joe, only to have Yan's leg meet his stomach with an intense impact.

"When I'm done with you, I'll-"

"You'll what, General?"

Hearing this, Yan looked behind him, and grew even angrier.

Joe was standing up, despite his earlier wounds and beatings, with his blade unsheathed. At that moment, his Wayfinder began to glow.

Meanwhile, Cupa noticed a glow in her pocket, and pulled out her own Wayfinder, which had a bright glow to it as well.

"Men! Kill him!" Yan yelled out, prompting the other guards to go into action.

They both lunged after Joe, but he was easily able to dispatch them, leaving only him and Yan.

"Your move." Joe said, pointing his weapon at Yan.

He growled to himself, as he reached over and pulled his blade from the ground.

He charged at Joe, sword ready, and swung down his blade on Joe.

_**Clang!**_

At that moment, Joe had quickly reacted to this attack, and parried Yan's charge, in return completely snapping Yan's sword by the base.

He could only look in horror at the display of power Joe had shown.

"H-Hey, you weren't this strong before! What the hell happened!?" Yan yelled.

Joe only smirked at this.

"What's wrong, Yan? Getting scared?" He said to the shivering General.

"Why you little!" Yan screamed, as he charged after Joe.

Joe remained still, but when Yan was close enough, in the blink of an eye, Joe swung his sword upright.

Yan fell back, but fell that he wasn't even hurt at all.

"Hah! What's that sword gonna do if it can't hurt me!?" Yan screamed again.

Joe then swung his sword down, and lined the blade with the sheathe. He slowly started to sheathe the blade, until a few inches were left.

"Shut up." Joe said, as he fully sheathed the blade with a loud _clang._

At that moment, Yan froze. He looked along his clothes and saw a line of crimson across his body.

He then fell forward, dead instantly.

The glows from the Wayfinder then subsided, as Cupa ran to Joe.

She said nothing, as she embraced Joe, tears welling in her eyes.

"I thought you were going to die..." She said, as she dug her face in Joe's chest.

He chuckled, as he returned the embrace. He then looked over his side, and saw Yaebi looking at him.

He let go of Cupa, and walked over to the boy.

"Thank you for that. I'm sure I would have been a goner if it weren't for you." He said, smiling.

Yaebi then smiled back. "Thank you, Mister..."

Joe knelt down and patted the little boy's shoulder.

"You ok?" He asked, noticing from silence from Yaebi.

"Can...Can..." He stammered.

Joe tilted his head, and looked at Cupa, who shrugged her shoulders.

"Can...I come with you guys? The others were very nice as well..." The Zombie boy asked.

Joe then chuckled at this, as he lifted the little boy and placed him on his shoulders.

"I don't see why not. You must be hungry, huh?" He asked.

Yaebi only nodded, as Cupa walked up to him.

"Maybe we could get you some new clothes too. I'm sure you don't like going barefoot." She asked, smiling.

"Yes please...Yan never gave me any other clothes..." He replied.

"Well, we shouldn't keep the others waiting then. Let's get going." Joe said, as he started after the exit, with Cupa following after.

Cupa went to Joe's left side, and grabbed his hand, in which he returned the gesture.

The three then all went out, Yaebi on Joe's shoulders, and Cupa holding his hand.

_Funny..._ Joe thought.

_We almost look like a family like this..._

* * *

**And it's done. I'm sorry if this took a while, the only free time I had was during my break at my job...I'm sorry if you all waited a while, but I finally pulled through.**

**Thank you for your patience, And I will see you all in the next chapter.**


	28. Time With You

**I want to apologize for the long wait, but I managed to get some more time, as I'm home from work due to pneumonia.**

**Don't worry, it's not serious, but I wanted to make sure you guys get this while I still had some spare time.**

**I thank you for your patience.**

**Enjoy.**

* * *

"What did you say!?"

"I...er...Yan was defeated...I'm the only survivor out of the group."

"Unbelievable! He was defeated by a mere boy!?"

"B-But sir! The boy wielded the Susano! We never stood a chance!"

"No excuses! You have failed my orders, so you know the price!"

"P-Please sir! He isn't any regular warrior! He defeated the Prince, so he-"

"I said no excuses! Take him away!"

"N-No, please,Your Majesty! I beg you!"

"Begging is for women! Guards, Kill him!"

"No please, I-AAAAAGGHH!"

"..."

"We will need to do something about this boy."

"M-Might I suggest something, Your Highness?"

"Go on. Any plans to conquer the Four Kingdoms will do."

Q

It had been several days since the encounter with Yan and his men, and everything seemed to return to normal.

Well, for most of everyone at least.

"Come on, Cupa, It was unintentional!" Joe yelled across his yard, to a steamed Cupa crossing her arms. He had Yaebi with him, as they were making what seemed like furniture.

"I'm not going to talk to you." She replied, not turning her head.

"Please tell me I almost died for this..." Joe sighed.

"Why don't you go marry your '_fiance' _then?" The steamed Cupa growled.

Yep. Joe had told them the _whole _story.

Joe then slumped his head and sighed.

"Are you going to marry that girl, Joe?" Yaebi asked.

"Well, for one, no. It was a mutual agreement that we wouldn't. And two, I was kinda forced into it. I was captured, and had to fight my way to escape." Joe explained, returning to his work.

"Wow...that's so cool!" Yaebi excitedly said.

"I was almost killed a few times. But a weird power helped me out. I'm not even sure how I survived." Joe continued, still focused on his work. "I just kinda wish Cupa would take me almost dying into consideration, rather than me being almost forced into marriage."

"She does look angry..." Yaebi said, looking over at the angered Cupa. "Perhaps I could talk to her?"

Joe sighed. "If it'll help..."

Yaebi then nodded, as he stood up, letting his work in front of Joe.

He then walked over to Cupa, and tapped her shoulder.

"Uhm...Miss Cupa?"

Cupa then turned to the young boy. "Oh, Yaebi. Is there anything you need?" She asked.

"Well, Joe wanted me to talk to you, since you won't listen to him."

Cupa's face then went back to anger.

"Oh. Really."

The young boy nervously nodded.

"He just wanted to say that he couldn't help it. It was either fight or die for him, he was a prisoner." Yaebi said, nervously.

"I know it's not consensual, but...Yaebi, can I tell you something?" Cupa asked.

The young boy nodded in return.

Cupa looked over to Joe, to make sure he wasn't paying attention to them, then turned back to Yaebi.

"It's just...The thought of having someone engaged to him, intentional or not, just...Upsets me..." She said, looking down.

"I can understand that...But he just wants some consideration that he risked his life against Yan to bring you back here. You did see how he was against him, right?" Yaebi asked.

"W-Well yeah...But it was thanks to you that he won..." Cupa replied.

"But he still took him on. With my help or not, he still fought for you." He added.

Cupa was a little silent, but looked at Yaebi.

"I guess you're right..." She said, her hand on her opposite arm.

"Maybe some time alone might help you two out?" He suggested.

Cupa went a tad red at this.

"You mean...like a date?"

Yaebi realized what he said and quickly regretted it. "I-If you want to think of it that way..." He said, twiddling his fingers.

Cupa thought to herself for a bit, lost in her thoughts.

She imagined her and Joe enjoying each others company, both enjoying a picnic near the lakeside, with her cuddling his arm.

A starry night, with the reflection of the moon in the water, with fireflies buzzing around the water...

The biggest smile appeared on her face imagining this scenario.

Meanwhile, Yaebi witnessing her dazed state, wondering if she was still of this world.

"Er...Miss Cupa?" Yaebi asked, waving a hand in front of her face.

Cupa quickly snapped to reality, shaking her head.

"S-Sorry...Yeah, that sounds like a good idea!" She chirped.

Yaebi was a tad surprised at the sudden answer, but shrugged it off.

"Ok, so we'll need to make a plan about this then..." Yaebi said, his hand on his chin.

Cupa thought to herself, then snapped her fingers.

"I think I've got it!"

* * *

A few hours had passed since then, and Joe had moved onto another project.

He was working more onto his garden/irrigation system, when the young Yaebi walked up to him.

"Hey, Joe. Whatcha working on?" He asked.

"Oh, Yaebi. How did the talk with Cupa go? Does she still hate me?" Joe asked, with a slight sense of worry.

"Oh, no no, shes moved on from that. Quick question though…" Yaebi asked.

Joe cocked an eyebrow at Yaebi's words.

"What are your plans for later today?" he asked.

Joe's eyes widened at this, as he pulled his hand to his chin in thought.

"Well, I've got to mine a little more iron for a minecart and a mining system, maybe try and practice my swordsmanship in case we get attacked, and I was going to go out and try to get ingredients for different food." Joe said.

"W-Well...Maybe you could spare the rest of the day for something?" Yaebi asked.

Joe titled his head at this question, as he thought to himself.

"I dunno…" He said. "I guess they are kinda impractical, and I can just finish them another time…"

"So, is that a yes?" Yaebi asked.

"You know what? Sure. I'm game." Joe asked, putting down his tools.

"Great! Alright, me and Miss Cupa were going to go exploring out in a part of a forest in a few moments, but since you are joining, it could be a little more funner and safer." Yaebi said, smiling.

"Exploring, huh? I guess I really haven't done that in a bit either." Joe chuckled.

"Yes, so if you could also help us set up a picnic, or at least some snacks, we could be going in at least an hour." Yaebi replied.

Joe's eyebrow raised after hearing this.

"An hour? Why so long?"

"W-Well, we were also going to try and prepare some other supplies, just in case we can find anything we can harvest or collect." Yaebi replied, emphasizing his words with his hands.

"Oh? Well I still have some spare tools. I could grab those, and we could-"

"W-We also were planning on visiting the village!" Yaebi suddenly interrupted.

Joe was left frozen at this, suprised at Yaebi's sudden outburst.

"O-Oh, ok then. I could go do that, while you guys get the tools." Joe said in return, nervously chuckling.

Yaebi then nodded. "Ok, we will meet up with you in a little bit then."

Joe smiled and made a thumbs-up, as he turned around and started walking towards the village.

Meanwhile, Yaebi turned his head around, to see a Cupa peeking around the corner of a tree.

He made a quick thumbs up towards her, as she smiled and made a thumbs-up back in return.

* * *

About an hour had passed, as Joe had returned from the village, with plenty of supplies in hand.

He walked over towards the entrance of his house, to see Cupa out in front, leaning against the outside of the house.

She seemed to be waiting, as she was looking around her surrounding area.

"Did I keep ya waiting?" Joe asked, as he walked towards her.

Cupa then looked over towards Joe, and smiled.

"No, you're just in time." She chirped.

"Where's Yaebi?" Joe asked, looking around for the boy.

"He said he will catch up to us. I'll make a trail for him to follow." Cupa replied.

Joe nodded in return. "All right, in that case, lead the way then."

Cupa smiled brightly at this, as she turned, and practically hopped along the way, with Joe following after.

They walked for a few moments, deep in the forest area, with Cupa leaving sticks in specific places to make a trail.

Joe pondered these actions to himself, but quickly dismissed them as they walked along their way.

They walked for about half an hour, until Joe spoke out:

"How come Yaebi hasn't found us yet?" He said.

"Maybe he took a little longer to do what he needed to do." Cupa answered back, placing more sticks.

Joe looked over the piles, lost in thought.

"I just don't know if he might be following the trail right. He might be lost…" Joe said, looking back on the trail they were walking from.

"He'll be fine, I'm sure he just got caught up" CUpa said.

"Maybe I should go back and look for him-"

"Joe-kun."

Joe nearly jumped at this, and looked back at a fumed Cupa, crossing her arms.

"He's not gonna learn if you just keep helping him you know." Cupa said.

"I-I know, but he-"

"He joined us so that he could get a good footing on life. And he's not going to get anywhere if you keep babysitting him like this." Cupa explained.

Joe was surprised at Cupa's words, but ultimately agreed with them.

"I...Guess you're right…" Joe said.

In that moment, Cupa grabbed Joe's arm, embracing it.

"Although its sweet that you care for him so much." She said, smiling.

Joe went red at this, and started scratching his head.

"Well, I...er…"

Cupa giggled, and let go of his arm.

"Now, on with the trail!" She said, as she led on.

Joe was left to question what just happened, but he dismissed it with a sigh.

"Man, I don't get her sometimes…"

* * *

After a few more moments of walking, the sun seemed to be setting.

"It seems to be getting dark out, maybe we should-"

"Keep going? Yeah, I was thinking the same thing!" Cupa said, as she kept on.

Joe blinked in disbelief at this.

"I was going to say, get back to the house, but I guess that works." Joe said with gritted teeth, as he kept following suit.

They eventually reached the shore-side of a small lake, in which Cupa decided to stop.

"Heres a good place to stop." Cupa said, as she let down her bag to the ground.

Joe examined his and Cupa's surrounding area.

A night-time picnic next to a lake, surrounded by….

Fireflies?

He could also see the full moon, as there was nothing blocking the view from it.

"What makes you want to stop here?" Joe asked.

Cupa was already done setting up the sheet when he asked this.

"I dunno. It just seems kinda nice."

After hearing this, Joe's mind then flashed to the last time he was at a picnic.

A great view of the lake…

Great food to eat…

Amazing company to enjoy it with…

Cupa nearly kissing him…

...Wait.

Joe immediately red after remembering this, and looked over at Cupa.

_Uh oh…._ He thought to himself.

"So? Gonna join me?"

Joe snapped back to reality, as he looked over to Cupa, who was sitting on the blanket, offering him a seat, looking at him.

He could feel his heart jump at this, as he slowly and timidly joined her.

They were quiet for a while, until Cupa spoke up.

"Its a wonderful view, isn't it?"

That was something he couldn't disagree with.

"Yeah, its great…" He said, partially hypnotized by the atmosphere.

While Joe was busy with the view, Cupa took this time to take action.

She scooted closer to Joe, touching legs and knees with him.

She could feel him jump a tad, in which she giggled to herself.

Meanwhile, Joe was trying all he can to keep himself contained, and not to faint from embarrassment.

_Keep it together Joe, it's just Cupa, there's nothing to be afraid of…_

At that moment, Cupa then grabbed his arm again, and rested her head on his shoulder.

_Ok, now's the time to panic!_

"Hey, Joe-kun?"

Joe nearly jumped at this.

"Y-Yeah?"

"Have you ever wondered what like….A world other than this would be like?"

Joe's eyes widened at this.

"A...Another world?"

"Yeah...A world thats….Different than this…"

Joe's mind immediately went back to his home back at his world.

He could remember his city, his apartment, everything from his world.

His mind then sparked back to the dream he had of Cupa.

His mind slightly settled at this, as he could feel his breathe regulating.

"Yeah...I wonder about it all the time."

"Really?"

"Yeah. Like, What if there were a more advanced world than this? To where we wouldn't have for fend for ourselves…"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, you know redstone, right?" Joe asked.

"Yeah?"

"Well, Imagine a much, much more advanced system than that."

Cupa let her thoughts take her, as she leaned more into Joe.

"Yeah….that sounds nice…" She said, as she watched the fireflies buzz around the water line.

Joe couldn't help but watch along with her.

He then looked at Cupa's hand, which was wrapped around his arm.

He gulped to himself, as he looked at his own hand.

He inched his own hand towards his arm, just barely touching Cupa's.

When she felt his hand, he could see her hand open up, as if it was inviting him.

He then held Cupa's hand, in which she crossed fingers with him.

His heartbeat skyrocketed at this, as he could feel her soft hand.

Meanwhile, Cupa was enjoying the feel of Joe's large, strong hand, as she watched the view.

"Joe-kun…"

"Y-Yeah?"

He looked over and the sight nearly made him jump.

Cupa was extremely close to his face, and she seemed to have her lips slightly puckered, her eyes closed.

"C-C….Cupa…" He said.

He was red as a cherry seeing this, as he was lost in thought.

His mind then made itself up, as he closed his own eyes.

He then slightly puckered his own lips, and inched his face towards hers.

And just whenthey were mere centimeters from meeting, a sudden clack could be heard.

Joe heard this, and immediately knew what it was.

"Cupa."

"Y...Yes?"

At that moment, another clack could be heard, along with the sound of a string pulled.

"Get down!" Joe yelled, as he wrapped his arms around cupa, and dove to the ground.

A sudden sound of a streaming object flew by, as Joe looked over to where the sound came from.

A skeleton was hiding behind a tree, with its bow out, and was preparing another arrow.

Joe immediately went into action, as he dove towards the bag, and looked for a weapon to use.

All he could find was a simple iron shovel.

"You gotta be kidding me…" Joe said, as he readied his weapon at the skeleton.

The skeleton shot its next arrow at Joe, in which Joe easily deflected it, and charged for the skeleton.

It didn't take long for Joe to reach it, as he swung the shovel, knocking the skeleton's head clean off its spine.

The body of the skeleton went limp, collapsing into a pile of bones.

When the dust settled, Joe went over to Cupa, who watched the whole thing.

"Need help?" He asked, offering his hand.

Cupa sighed in relief, as she took his hand, and helped her to her feet.

"Man, that was a close one." Joe chuckled.

Cupa remained silent.

Joe noticed this, and looked at her.

"Cupa?"

"Its my fault…"

"Sorry?"

Cupa shook her head in anger.

"Its my fault! We should have left when you said it was dark…" Cupa said, with a guily tone.

Joe only looked at Cupa, then made a half-smile.

He then placed his hand in her head, while she sobbed.

"Calm down, calm down. Its alright." He said.

"It...It is?" Cupa sniveled.

"Of course. I can understand if you wanted to keep going. It was a great time. I'm just glad you're ok." Joe said, smiling.

Cupa went a tad red at this, as she smiled back.

"Thanks…" She said.

Joe then wiped the tears from Cupa's face.

"Just the thought of you being safe makes me happy already." He said.

"J-Joe-kun…" Cupa said, amazed at Joe's action.

"Now lets get going. We don't want any other monsters coming out." Joe said, as he looked around his area.

Cupa nodded at this, as she went to collect her bag and the picnic.

"I'll keep guard. You hold onto my hand. It'll get pretty dark." He said, offering his hand.

Cupa looked at Joe's hand, as she smiled, and took it, holding it tight.

"Lead the way…" She said.

Joe then smiled back, as he led on into the darkness of the forrest.

Meanwhile, Cupa's mind flashed to the situation mere minutes ago.

The thought of them almost sharing a kiss, under the exact atmosphere she wanted.

_I almost got him...but at least I can still have this moment with him…_

* * *

**Phew...I finally got this out…**

**And I have some news for you guys.**

**I will be updating To LoveEd very soon, along with Path of the Skull heart and Moon of Hearts. And there might even be a brand new fic soon!**

**I'm done rambling, I thank you for your patience, and I will see you in the next chapter.**


	29. Cold Favor

**Its almost been a whole year since I started this…**

**It started to snow where I live, and I'm here, freezing my feet off, working on this **

**chapter…**

**Really brings me back.**

**Now that that is over, enjoy your shiny new chapter.**

**Enjoy.**

**Q**

It had been a few days since that certain night with Cupa and Joe, as the day was bright, with a slight breeze blowing throughout the land.

We could see Joe trying to climb a tree, along with Nia and Lily, who sat at the higher branches of the tree, watching Joe climb.

"Come on, Joe! I thought we were getting the apples together!" Lily teased, her legs crossed.

"It's kinda hard to climb when I can't stick to any surface, you know…" Joe argued back, carrying a heavy backpack filled with apples.

Nia scoffed at this. "That doesn't excuse laziness you know."

Joe grumbled to himself, as he climbed on.

"You know, when I asked you two to help with getting food, I didn't mean 'Climb up the tree and tease Joe'." He said, picking another apple and slipping it in his bag.

"We're not the ones with the bag here." Nia said, picking an apple, and dropping it, allowing Joe to catch it.

Joe could only sigh, as he decided to take a break, and sat on a branch himself.

"Oh! Are we taking a break?" Lily asked, excited.

He laid his head back, as a gentle breeze blew upon him and the two girls. After giving a large sigh of relaxation, he used his arms to support his head as he laid back.

"Wonder how the Nether is doing...Hope The Princess is doing alright…" He said to himself, as he enjoyed the breeze.

"Bonzai!"

Joe's eyes widened at this, as he looked up only to see something fall into his lap, yelling as soon as it fell.

Better yet, it was Lily, whose force from falling down on Joe made the branch crack.

Lily then wrapped her arms around Joe, smiling.

"Gotcha!"

"L-Lily, the branch is gonna-!"

At that moment, the branch that Joe was sitting on snapped off of the tree, sending both falling to the ground.

Moments before they hit the ground, Joe grabbed Lily and held her close, as they hit the ground with a thud.

Joe groaned in pain, still holding onto the Spider-girl.

"Oh crap, are you ok?" Lily asked.

Joe slowly sat up, having Lily in his lap.

"Ugh...Next time, look before you leap…" He said, popping his neck.

Lily then smiled, as she dug her head into Joe's chest.

Joe could only roll his eyes with a smile as he patted her head.

"Do you see what happens when you don't think?" Nia said as she climbed down to ground level.

"Accidents happen. And they happen to nearly pop a disc." Joe said, putting a hand to his sore back.

"Well, its a good thing it didn't, otherwise we would have one less worker." Came a voice.

All turned to the voice, and could see Ria walking towards them, carrying her bow with her.

"One less? I do most of the work here…" Joe grumbled.

"And don't act like we don't appreciate it. Anyway, Joe. I need a word with you real quick." Ria asked.

"A word? But the gatherings not done yet." Joe answered.

"Well, I'm sure Lily can pick up your work for you. After all, you were nearly injured from her." She said, looking at Lily in a passive-aggressive tone.

Lily could only give a guilty smile and rub her head.

"Yeah, you got me there. Alright, I'll get to work." She said, as she stood up.

Joe followed after, as he walked over towards Ria.

"Whatdya need?" He asked.

Ria was silent, as she waved her hand to guide Joe to follow her.

He did so, as she guided Joe around the house, and on the pathway towards the lake.

"Mind telling me why you're taking me into the woods?" JOe asked.

"Shh." Ria replied, putting a finger to her lips.

Joe could only nod, as he followed suit with Ria.

After a few moments of walking, They stopped at the small clearing that bordered the lake.

Ria gestured her hand towards a point of the shore.

Joe could see a sad looking Snowy, as she was barefoot, with her feet in the water.

He could see a very low-toned look on her face, almost a home-sick look to it.

"Is Snowy alright?" Joe asked.

"I don't know. I've tried asking her, but she kept assuring me nothing was wrong." Ria replied.

"Weird...I don't think I've ever seen her sad." Joe said, crossing his arms.

"And she's been like this all day. It hurts me to see her like this." Ria said back.

"Here, I'll go ask what's wrong. Maybe he'll tell me, since I'm her 'master'." Joe said, as he stepped towards Snowy.

"Alright, I'll be at home. Keep me updated." Ria said, as she started on her own way back to the house.

Meanwhile, Joe started on his way towards the depressed Snowy.

Joe's footsteps could be heard by Snowy, as she turned towards the young man.

"O-Oh, Joe. How are you?" She said, trying to pull a warm smile.

"What are you doing all the way out here?" Joe asked.

"W-Well…I like the lake view out here, its really serene and-"

"Snowy."

Snowy's smile dropped as she heard Joe call her name.

"I know something's wrong. I've never seen you this sad before." Joe said.

Snowy looke at Joe, as her expression dropped even more, as she hugged her knees.

"Joe…Do you remember when I was first born?" Snowy asked.

Joe's eyes widened at this.

"Of course I remember that. I got knocked out, and got a cold that day." He chuckled.

"Yeah...It was so wonderful that day...The pure-white ground and snow-sprinkled trees, and the cold breeze against my face...Its was all so beautiful and amazing…" Snowy said.

"So...You miss that snowy day?" Joe asked.

"Yes...I don't know If I can see it again…" Snowy said, sighing sadly.

Joe thought to himself for a bit.

_So...She's sad because she misses the snow and the cold weather...Perhaps finding a Snow Biome would cheer her up?_

"Hey…" Joe said, getting Snowy's attention. "You know, It's gotta be snowing around here somewhere. If It snowed that day, then there must be another spot that is snowing in the area."

Snowy's eyes lit up at this.

"D-Do you really think so?" She asked, with a look oh ope in her eyes.

"Well, yeah. And, if we go soon, we should be able to go there, and be back home by dusk." He said, looking to the sky.

"R...Really!?" Snowy squealed.

"Absolutely. So. You want to go?" Joe asked.

"Oh, Yesohyesohyesohyesohyes!" She said, hoping in place. She then charged at Joe, and wrapped her arms around Joe's neck, rubbing her cheek against his.

"Alright, Alright. But we'll have to tell the others first, and I'll need to get my winter clothes." Joe said, chuckling at Snowy's reaction.

"Oh Thankyouthankyouthankyouthankyouthankyou!" Snowy squealed, as she released Joe, and sprinted down the path towards home, leaving Joe alone.

"Well...Looks like she won't be able to _chill _for a while."

He then started on his own way back home after his joke.

"...I'm glad no one heard that."

* * *

After about a half-hour passed, both Joe and Snowy were back home, with their friends helping them prepare for their search.

Joe, Cupa, and Andr were all upstairs, while Snowy, Ria, and the Spider-Girls were downstairs.

"So, you're gonna go on a little adventure, to find snow?" Cupa asked, as she helped with Joe's scarf.

"Well, it kinda seemed she was homesick. The only time she got to see snow was when she was created." He replied.

"But do you even know where you are going?" Ander asked.

Joe chuckled at this. "Well, if I know my instincts, there has to be a snowy spot around here somewhere."

Cupa sighed at this.

"I know you want to help out and such, but this seems just a little too much." She said, adjusting Joe's scarf on his neck.

"I risked my life to save you all. Was that a little too much?" Joe joked.

"Any risk on your life is too much…" Andr said, puffing her cheeks.

Joe then rubbed Andr's head.

"I appreciate your concern, girls. But I'm doing this whether it sounds dangerous or not." He said, pulling on his backpack.

"Are you at least going to put on your armor besides the gauntlets?" Cupa asked, her arms crossed.

"I'm only gonna get cold, not stabbed." He said, adjusting the straps on his wrists.

"Food and water?"

"Check."

"Your sword?"

"Check."

"Any other supplies?"

"Cupa, relax already. I'm gonna be fine." Joe chuckled.

"You were nearly killed by Yan that one time. If it weren't for Yaebi, we would be in the Nether right now, and your head would be on that evil king's mantle." Cupa stated, raising an eyebrow.

The name then struck Joe.

"Speaking of that...Where's Yaebi?" Joe asked.

"He went out into the village to trade for supplies. He wanted to help out with around the home, you know." Andr replied.

"Really? Man, I gotta get that boy a watch or something…" Joe said.

"'Watch'?" Both girls asked.

"Er, nothing. Anyway, I should be going now. We should be back by dusk." Joe said, starting on his way towards the stairs., until he felt a tug at his sleeve.

He turned his head to see Andr holding his sleeve.

"Please come home safe. Both of you." She said, smiling.

Joe made a smile back, as he held a thumbs up.

"And if I hear another story about how you almost died again…" Cupa said, stepping up to Joe, and pointing in his face. "I'm going to smack you."

Joe chuckled at this.

"Might want to get that hand ready while I'm gone then. I'm really accident prone." He chuckled. "...In fact, you might as well smack me right now."

Andr and Cupa both giggled at this.

"Just come home in one piece." Cupa stated, smiling.

He nodded at this, as he looked downstairs.

"Oi! Snowy, you ready yet?" Joe yelled.

"Ready!" Came an excited voice.

"Alright then, I'm off." Joe said, as he faced the girls, and walked downstairs backwards, giving a salute.

Both girls then followed after Joe, joining the rest of the house at the front door.

"I hope you both are prepared for this." Ria stated.

"Don't worry, we got all we need." Joe replied.

"Yeah. We're not going to be out _that _long." Snowy added, adjusting her bag.

Ria then crossed her arms.

"Well, I apologize if I'm worried we might get abducted again, and you're nowhere to be seen." She argued.

"Relax, that king can't do anything now. I killed his general and his best men." Joe replied.

Meanwhile, Cupa and Andr came down the stairs, just catching Joe and Snowy leave.

"J-Joe-kun!" Andr yelled, catching Joe's attention before he stepped out.

She then ran towards Joe, and quickly and firmly embraced him.

"Please come home safe…" She squeaked in Joe's jacket.

Joe was surprised at this, but then quickly smiled, and returned the hug.

"I promise." He replied, rubbing Andr's head.

At that moment, Cupa walked towards the two, and joined in, along with Ria and Lily.

"U-Uh, girls, it's getting a little tight in here…" Joe said, his face a tad pink.

"Consider it a good luck hug. You're gonna need it." Cupa giggled.

Joe sighed in defeat, as the girls all released him.

He then looked over towards Nia, who had her arms crossed.

"What? Don't want a hug?" He jokingly asked.

A little hint of red came across her face, as she looked away.

"N-No, I think I'll have to pass." She replied.

"Then why are you blushing?" Joe said, a smug grin on his face.

Nia only went redder at this, as she started to cover her face.

"I-I'm not blushing, i-it's just hot in here…" She said back.

Joe then zoned in on Nia, wrapping his arms around her waist, and lifting her off the ground.

"H-H-Hey!" Nia yelled, turning even more red.

"Just one hug, then I'll let you down." Joe said, smiling.

Nia only grumbled to herself, as she wrapped her arms around Joe's neck.

"Was that so bad?" Joe asked.

"Do this again, and you'll be eating through a straw for a few days." Nia whispered in Joe's ear, to which he only chuckled in return.

He then let her down, watching as all the other girls were laughing and giggling to themselves.

"Well, we should get going. We're wasting daylight." Joe said.

"Right!" Snowy chirped, with a smile on her face.

He then joined Snowy back at the door, looking at everyone.

"Well, wish us luck." He said.

"Good luck!" All the girls said, as Joe closed the door.

Outside of the house, Joe and Snowy both stood outside the house for a few moments.

"Well, you ready?" He asked.

"Yep!" She said, as she started towards the wilderness, with Joe following after.

_Well,nothing could really go wrong with this._

…

_...Could it?_

* * *

A few minutes passed, as Joe and Snowy trekked through the wilderness.

"Oh, I'm just so excited!" Snowy squeaked, as she marched forward.

Meanwhile, Joe thought to himself.

_So...I don't know If we can even find this biome...I mean, it snowed in a forest biome, so how am I even to know if we can find an only-snow biome…._

_...I should talk to Snowy about this…_

He then looked upon the excited Snowy, and how the biggest smile on her face was brightly showing.

_...Dammit…_

"Doing okay back there?" came Snowy's voice, snapping Joe back to reality.

"O-Oh, yeah, I'm okay." Joe replied.

She then went back to her marching, humming a little tune to herself, while Joe felt a sense of dread.

They walked for about a half hour, until they saw a small clearing of trees in the distance.

"Hey, I think I see it!" SNowy said, as she sped up and started running.

"H-Hey! Don't go too fast!" Joe yelled, running after Snowy.

They ran until they reached the clearing, and stopped at the sight on front of them.

They certainly found snow, but it seemed a little...odd.

The snow only started at a fine line between it, and the grass of the forest, and the snow only fell where there was snow on the ground, almost like a wall of snow.

"We found it!" Snowy squealed, as she started jumping up and down.

Meanwhile, Joe was in an amazed stupor at what was in front of him.

"So...The lines between the biomes are real…" He said.

"So? What are we waiting for? Let's go!" Snowy said, charging into the biome, leaving Joe still amazed.

"Man, this world still amazes me somehow." He said, as he followed suit after Snowy.

_Hopefully nothing will happen this time, no life threatening situations or anything. It's just going to be a nice time away from home…_

…

_...Right?_

* * *

**Trust me, I don't want to end the chapter here, but with crap going on in my life, I can't find time to do anything anymore…**

**You all deserve more updates, because I take too much time to make these chapters.**

**You are amazing for being so patient, and I hope you enjoyed this chapter, as the next one shall be posted soon.**

**Thank you for your time, I'll see you in the next chapter.**


	30. Closed In

**It's been more than a year since I first started this Fic...And to be honest, I wouldn't have had it any other way.**

**All the feedback I've gotten from you all have pulled me through the deepest of ruts, and I have you all to thank for it.**

**It's been a year since I first started this, and we are approaching the end with each chapter posted. Sure, this story may end, but that only means there will be more to look forward to after.**

**Here's to another year of stories in the future, everyone.**

**Thank you, and Enjoy.**

* * *

Snowy ran across the snow covered ground, happily skipping and spinning, all while laughing and giggling.

"Oh, just look at it! It's so pretty!" She yelled, as she danced in the snow.

Meanwhile, Joe was walking with Snowy as she danced and played in the snow.

His whole body shivered. Was the snow in this world always this cold?

He tightened his scarf around his neck, adding more warmth.

He looked over towards the playing Snowy, smiling.

_Well, at least she's smiling…_

While Snowy was busy with playing in the snow, Joe kept himself in his thoughts.

_I wonder if the Kingdom is doing alright… I mean, I don't doubt her work, but it must still be hard..._

He then raised his right arm, and stared at the gem on the part of the gauntlet over his hand.

_It's been a few days, but she hasn't had a need to call…_

He sighed to himself.

In that moment, an unknown force struck Joe on his arm, making him jump.

He looked at his arm, and found bits of snow on his jacket.

He then looked over towards Snowy, and saw she had a snowball in each hand.

"It wasn't really fair last time. Wanna rematch?" She asked.

Joe cocked a smile at this.

"Sure. I'm game." He replied.

Snowy then lowered both her hands, keeping them to her waist, while Joe stretched his wrists and fingers.

Both stood across each other, as if waiting for the draw in a duel.

After a few moments of silence, both yelled out the same word in unison:

"Go!"

The duel was on. Snowy immediately tossed both of her snowballs at Joe. He reacted by quickly ducking under, and jumped behind a tree, scooping up snow as he landed.

He formed his snowball, and stood up, back to the tree. He peeked over, and found that Snowy had disappeared.

"Huh?" He said, frantically scanning the area.

After a few moments, a sound of a tree branch snapping shot out. He looked towards the source of the sound, and found Snowy, sitting on a branch.

Before he could react, She tossed a snowball at Joe, hitting him in the face.

He wiped the snow off, and tossed his own upwards at Snowy.

She reacted by dropping off the branch, dodging the snowball.

As she landed on the ground, she quickly dashed towards Joe, who was open from making another snowball.

She quickly slid a few feet behind him, and pounced towards him. She wrapped her arms around the sides of his chest, binding his arms to his torso.

The force of Snowy colliding with Joe made him fall forward.

"White Wash!" She yelled, as Joe screamed a bit before heading face first into the snow.

She then picked herself up, and sat on Joe's back while his face was buried in the snow.

"Looks like I win!" She chirped, as she pumped her fist once.

All that could be heard from Joe were a few mumbles, but he could be heard saying "That was playing dirty!".

She then stood off of Joe, while he sat up on all fours, shaking the snow off his face.

"Christ, that's cold.." He said as he stood up, clearing snow off his clothes. "Man, you're pretty good at this…" He said, shaking the water and snow out of his hair.

"Well, I_ am _a SnowWoman." She replied, holding out a hand for falling snow to land on.

"How do you pack a snowball that fast? And not have it fall apart in your hands?" Joe asked.

Snowy's face lit up at this question.

"It's a lot easier than you think. Here, watch." She said, as she knelled down and scooped a handful of snow. "Just pack the snow with your hands like this." She explained, expertly packing the snowball.

Joe then scooped a handful of snow, and attempted to pack the snowball as he watched Snowy demonstrate.

"Like this?" He asked.

Snowy looked at his hands, and shook her head.

"More like this. Cup your hands a little like this to get that good pack." She said, as she guided Joe's hands by having her hands on his.

While he had his gloves on, Snowy could feel a strange firmness in his hands.

She went a tad pink at this sensation.

"Uh...Snowy?"

The young snowwoman snapped to reality at the sound of Joe's voice.

"S-Sorry, I kinda spaced out…" She said, as she released Joe's hands.

He then opened his hand to see a perfectly made snowball in the palms of his hands.

"Wow…" He said, partially amazed at the perfect shape of the ball of snow.

"You'll be able to win any snowball fight if ya make them like that." She said, smiling.

Joe could only look at the snowball in his hand, and smile.

"Oh, uh, hey, I think I saw a bird over there!" Joe said, pointing to the distance.

Snowy's eyes widened at this, as she turned around to face the direction Joe was pointing.

In that moment, Joe tossed the snowball at Snowy, making it hit her softly on the back of the head.

The impact made Snowy jump, as she turned around, bewildered.

She stared at Joe, until a smile grew on her face.

The silence was broken by both Snowy and Joe bursting into laughter.

When the laughter died down, Snowy then skipped away from Joe.

"Come on, let's go have some more fun!" She said, pointing towards a few snow banks.

Joe shrugged his shoulders.

"Alright, let's go." He replied.

Once Snowy turned around, Joe picked up his speed and dashed past Snowy.

"Race ya to them!" He yelled, running towards the snow banks, diving head first.

Snowy giggled at this, as she then followed suit after Joe into the snowbanks.

* * *

The two had been playing in the snow for quite some time. They made a snowman, but used snow instead of a pumpkin, made snow angels, and had the occasional snowball fight.

Joe looked upon the distance while Snowy was making another snow angel.

"Hard to believe we've been here for so long. I can already see the sun starting to set." He said.

"Yeah, I can see it too. Maybe we should start heading for home soon." Snowy replied. "I think I had my fill of winter wonderland." She said, as she stood up.

"Well, thankfully we can follow the path back-" Joe said, but looked behind him and saw fresh snow. "...with our tracks.

Seemingly, the tracks that they had made in the snow disappeared, presumably from the heavy snow fall filling where they stepped.

Snowy saw this, and frowned.

"W-Where's our tracks?" She asked.

"I-I don't know, we were just here not too long ago!" Joe replied.

"But if those tracks filled from only a few moments…." Snowy said, with a dreaded tone.

"Then what of the tracks we made when we first found the snow?" Joe asked, with dread in his voice.

At that moment, the wind picked up, blowing ice cold wind and snow against the two.

"W-Whoa!" Joe said, almost blown down from the force of the wind.

"J-Joe! T-This isn't good!" She said, grabbing Joe's arm.

"We need to get to a cave or something. Its only getting darker, and we have to get out of this wind!" Joe yelled above the wind, pulling Snowy with him away from their immediate area.

They marched through the wind, the snow blinding most of Joe's vision.

"I-I think I see one!" Joe said, pointing towards a faint depression in the snow.

They trudged through the snow, until the cave became clearer through the snow.

They arrived at the mouth of the cave, both rushing in, sheltering from the wind.

Both had to catch their breath, with Snowy collapsing to the ground.

Joe panted for breath, as he looked at the snowstorm outside of the cave.

"Good christ, that was close…" He said, sitting down on the stone ground.

Snowy gasped for breath, when out of nowhere, she heard a sound.

"J-Joe?" She said, after looking towards where the sound come from.

Joe looked over, and saw a horrified face on Snowy.

He turned his head to where snowy was looking, and felt the color from his face drop.

There stood the familiar quadrupedal walking, living bomb that was the Creeper.

And it was looking right at Joe.

"Oh shit…" He muttered.

The Creeper acted fast, as it charged straight for Joe, hissing at him.

Joe reacted fast, and drew his blade, delivering an iai strike at the Creeper, cutting it in half.

Joe looked upon the halved body of the Creeper, and heard another hissing noise.

He looked up and saw more Creepers emerging from the deeper parts of the cave.

"Goddammit, now's not the time!" Joe yelled, readying his pose.

The creepers reacted by charging towards Joe in a pack.

One of them had noticed Snowy, and changed its path towards the snowgirl.

"Get away from her!" He screamed, as he dashed towards Snowy's direction.

He swiped his blade at the oncoming creeper, cutting the creature's head off, it falling dead to the ground.

Joe then pointed his attention to the remaining two creepers, who were well on their way towards Snowy and himself.

Joe then turned his blade backwards, holding the sword off-hand. He slashed at the closest creeper, cutting it down.

He dealt with the final creeper by impaling the creature with his sword. It seemed to be still alive, as it stared at Joe, hissing in his face.

At that moment, it seemed to start to inflate, with a sound of an ignition ringing through the cave.

"Shit!" Joe screamed, as he retracted his blade, and delivered his boot to the Creeper, kicking it back towards the entrance of the cave.

Despite having distance from the two, the Creeper continued inflating, with the sound of a fuse burning emitted from the beast.

"Oh, Fuck me!" He screamed. He then turned his head towards Snowy, and ran towards her.

"J-Joe!?" Snowy yelled, confused.

"Get down!" Joe yelled, as he dove towards Snowy, and quickly embraced her, holding her tightly against him on the ground.

At that moment, the Creeper exploded, the force from the explosion causing snow and stone around the mouth of the cave to collapse.

Snowy held tightly onto Joe, the explosion frightening her beyond belief.

She raised her head to see the ceiling above her rumbling, powdered stone falling from the cracks.

Snowy could see nothing, until she could see a shape seemingly growing in size.

_**SMACK!**_

Something had hit her hard on the head, throwing her off balance.

"Oh shit!" Joe said, looking at a small stream of blood flowing from the top of Snowy's head.

Her head fell to the ground, with only of moments of consciousness.

She felt everything black out, as all she could hear before passing out was Joe's voice.

"Come….Stay...Me…" Were the words she heard before completely blacking out.

* * *

A few moments had passed, as Snowy regained consciousness, her eyes slowly opening.

Once her eyesight adjusted, she could only see a faint glow against a stone wall.

She sat up, looking to her right.

She could see Joe, kneeling down and tending to a small campfire, throwing sticks and pieces of wood into the burning flame.

She examined what she was laying on, and found she was resting on Joe's jacket, with his bag as a pillow.

Joe looked back, and saw that Snowy had awoken.

"Oh, you're awake." He said, before walking towards Snowy and sitting next to him.

"W-What...What happened?" She asked, rubbing her sore head.

Joe sighed at this.

"Well, that Creeper's explosion caved in the entrance. We're trapped in here." He explained.

"W-What!?" Snowy yelled, bewildered.

"But!" Joe said, pointing both his fingers at Snowy. "There's a small hole over in the debris." He said, pointing towards the pile of snow and stone, revealing said hole in the wall. "We'll be able to tell its daytime with it, and by then, we can easily dig ourselves out. But for now, we'll have to stay here until then. That storm isn't getting any better out there." He said, crossing his arms.

Snowy looked to the floor, frowning.

"Snowy?" Joe asked.

"It's all my fault…" She muttered.

"Huh?"

She rose her head, looking at Joe. "Its my fault we're stuck in here. If I hadn't been so gloom, then we could be still at home…" She said, slightly crying into her hands.

Joe gave a cocked smile at this.

"No no, it's not your fault."

Snowy lifted her head, looking at Joe with a confused face.

"It's no one's fault. Just because we left home, it doesn't mean that anyone's to blame."

Snowy only frowned, and stared at the floor.

"So. How's your head?" He asked.

She rubbed her aching head, feeling a bandage across her forehead.

"Did...You take care of me while I was out?" She asked.

Joe scoffed at this.

"Of course I did. You were out cold, and the rock that hit you wasn't going to bandage you up." He said, giving a coy smile.

Snowy didn't know what to think.

"That…" She muttered.

Joe tilted his head in confusion.

"...That has to be the most nicest thing that's ever happened to me…" She said, smiling brightly, and turning a tad red.

Joe smiled in return.

"Well, you should really get used to it. Especially if you're around me." He said, as he stood up to tend to the fire.

This left Snowy to her thoughts. Someone other than her was caring of her, when her life is based around serving whoever created her.

And it was her own Master, nonetheless.

She smiled, as she stood up, and walked over towards Joe.

She acted by wrapping her arms around Joe's torso, holding him tightly, digging her face in his back.

"S-Snowy?" He asked, surprised by Snowy's actions.

"And that's why you're the best Master ever." She said, enjoying her embrace with the young man.

Joe sighed at this.

"Well, I sure as hell try."

* * *

A few hours had passed, as Joe and Snowy both sat by the kindling fire.

They had already burned through their food supply, as they only brought enough for a small meal for the both of them.

Despite a warm fire burning in front of him, The cave was still frigid, as the cold felt it was permeating Joe's bones.

Meanwhile, Snowy sat by the fire, seemingly untouched by the cold.

Joe sat by the fire, arms and legs crossed, retaining as much heat as possible.

"H-How are you not freezing right now?" He asked Snowy, slightly shivering.

"I was born from snow. Cold doesn't really affect me." She replied, shrugging her shoulders.

"Then you're the lucky one here…" He said in return, sighing. "I'm gonna try and get some sleep." He said, as he rolled to his side, facing the fire.

Snowy looked at Joe and thought to herself.

She then crawled over to Joe, and laid in front of him, holding him close.

"H-Hey, I-"

"Calm down already. You'll freeze in your sleep if I don't" She replied, smiling.

Her face was very close to his, causing him to turn red like a beet. Snowy could see this, and only giggled.

"W-Well, you don't really have to, I-I mean-" Joe said, but was interrupted by Snowy putting a finger over his lips.

"You took care of me while I was knocked out. I'm paying you back by not letting you freeze in your sleep." She said, smiling.

She was right, against Joe's concern. He did feel a tad warmer.

But he cold was still freezing him to the core, as he continued shivering.

"Joe?" Snowy asked.

"I-I-It's f-fine…" He said, trying his best to cock a smile.

Snowy was left with her thoughts on the situation.

Her embrace was only giving Joe so much heat to work with, and he was only getting colder by the minute.

Though, one idea struck her mind. One that made her bout as red as Joe.

"U-Uhm…Joe?" She asked.

"Y-Y-Yeah?" Came Joe's shivering voice.

"I have an idea…" She said, as she sat up, beckoning Joe to do the same.

They both sat straight, with Joe still suffering from the cold.

"Now I'm gonna need you to listen to me, and do whatever I say, ok?" Snowy asked, playing with her fingers.

"W-Whatever you need…" Joe replied back.

Snowy took a deep breath, collecting her thoughts.

"I'm gonna need you to close your eyes, and take off your top."

Joe's eyes widened at this.

"I-I thought I was gonna get warmer, not colder!" Joe yelled, surprised at Snowy's request.

"Do you want to freeze to death or not?" Snowy asked, silencing Joe.

He thought to himself, until he sighed in defeat.

"F-Fine…" He said, as he tightly closed his eyes, and removed his shirt and sweater, leaving himself completely topless.

He felt even more frigid with this, as he only held himself more tightly.

"N-Now what?" He asked.

"J-Just wait a second…" Snowy said in return.

Joe kept his eyes shut tight, and he could only tell what was going on from the sounds around him.

Though, he could swear he could hear a zipper unzipping.

"S-Snowy?" He asked.

"O-Ok...Now I'm gonna need you to hold out your arms. Like you're expecting a hug." She explained.

He complied with her request, as he held his arms out wide, nervously expecting what happened next.

He could hear Snowy take another deep breath.

"Ok...You ready?" She asked.

"I-I guess…" He replied, his hands shaking in anticipation.

In that moment, Joe felt something quickly wrap around his neck, with something soft and fleshy pushing against his chest.

Two soft things, in fact.

He opened his eyes to see that Snowy was pressed against his chest, but he noticed something a little more surprising than that.

She was completely topless, with her breasts planted against his chest.

Before he could act, Snowy had wrapped both herself and Joe in her coat, binding them together.

She had to straddle him to keep her arms around his neck, only to his dismay. He had turned as red as he had ever been, unable to speak.

"I-I-I-I-I-I…." He could only mutter.

"Y-Yes, I know it's a little too intimate, but I-It's the only way you can stay warm…" She replied, blushing in return.

Although the embarrassment from the skin-ship shook him to the core, she was correct.

He felt all the cold in his body lift from him, as Snowy's warm, bare body kept his body warm from the cold.

"B-But why would you want to do this with me?I-Isn't this a little too embarrassing for you too?" Joe asked, still shocked.

"W-Well…" She replied.

Joe stared at Snowy, awaiting her answer.

"Its really the least I could do for you…" She finished.

"H-Huh?" Joe asked, confused.

"Well, when I was born, you were the first person I've ever seen…" She continued. "And since then, you've done nothing but take care of me...and hats coming from snow-people, who are really born into servitude…"

Joe couldn't think of what to say. He couldn't really say anything at this.

"You fed me, gave me a home, gave me such great friends...I don't think there's anything I can do to repay you…" She said, smiling at her thoughts.

Joe left this in his thoughts. The only real order she gave her was to call him by his name. Nothing else after.

"You could've been the worst Master ever. You could've treated me like a slave, abusing me for my services...But, you didn't." She giggled. "You treated me like anyone else, like any other breathing and living person…"

"S...Snowy…" Joe muttered, speechless at Snowy's words.

"To you...I was not just a servant…" She said, smiling brightly at Joe.

"I was someone worth caring about."

He was speechless. He couldn't think of a single word.

She then buried her face in Joe's neck, giving warmth to the right side of his neck.

"Now, we should get some rest. We'll need the energy to dig ourselves out tomorrow." She mentioned, tightening her grip on Joe's neck. She then closed her eyes, preparing for sleep.

Joe was completely lost in his thoughts, but he knew she was right.

He then wrapped his arms across Snowy's bare back, and could hear a small moan come from Snowy.

"All warmed up?" She asked.

Joe nodded at this, as he laid back, allowing Snowy to lay on top of him.

Snowy dug her head into Joe's bare chest, as a sign of peace came across her face.

"Goodnight…" Were her words as she drifted off to sleep.

Joe could only gaze upon the snow-girl's peaceful expression, until he turned his head towards the dying fire.

"Yeah...Night.." Were his words before the fire completely went out, engulfing the cave in pitch-black darkness.

* * *

The morning sun rose the next morning, only to shine upon the clear skies of the winter-biome.

Trudging through the snow, we can see the young witch Mary, who was covered from the neck down in winter gear, examining the area.

"There should be that cave I found around here…" She said to herself, as she pressed on.

The reason she was venturing in this winter wasteland was to look for a cave opening she found not too long ago, which was rich in coal and redstone.

Just what she needed for her potions, being a Witch and all.

She walked on until she found her destination.

She certainly found the cave she was looking for, but the mouth of the cave was closed in, a wall of snow blocking the entrance.

"What happened here? It wasn't that bad…" She asked. herself.

She stepped up to the wall, and rummaged through her bag.

"This should help." She said, as she pulled out a bottle of a strange red liquid.

She poured the contents onto the snow wall, and the potion seemed to take effect immediately.

The wall of snow easily melted, leaving the rocks filtered to the ground.

She then looked into the entrance of the cave, and could see something that set her off a tad.

"Joe? Snowy?"

Indeed, she had found the cave that Joe and Snowy were trapped in, and saw them stuck together with Snowy's jacket.

The light had awoken the two, as Joe sat up, with Snowy still laying on top of him, still straddling him.

He then looked over, and when his eyes adjusted to the light, he could see Mary standing at the now-open cave.

"Mary?" He asked.

He then looked down, and saw Snowy's sleeping face extremely close to his.

He remembered all that happened the previous night, and turned beet red.

He turned to Mary, who wore a sly smile on her face.

"U-Uhm...This isn't what it looks like." He said, with a nervous tone.

"Oh, no, I know exactly what happened. And I can't blame you for it." She said as she stepped towards the two. She then placed a hand on Joe's face, holding his to her face.

"You know, if you're still cold, I'm more than willing to warm you up~" She said in a sensual tone, lowering one side of the collar of her shirt down her arm, revealing the cleavage of her right breast.

"W-Wha…" He said, until he heard Snowy cooing as she rose from her slumber.

"Good Morning, Joe." She said, smiling. She turned her head to see Mary pull her collar back up to her neck.

"Oh, Good Morning, Miss Mary." She said, brightly smiling.

"And a Good Morning to you too, darling." Mary replied, smiling back.

"Did you come to rescue us?" Snowy asked.

Mary giggled at this. "Well, I came out here to gather some materials, but it looks like I found you two here."

"Really? That's great!" Snowy chirped happily.

Mary then pointed her attention to Joe, who was sweating beads from the tension he usually felt around her.

"Although, I think I still see a problem with him." She said, running her fingers across Joe's ear.

"T-There's nothing wrong with me, I just need to-" Joe yelled, as he quickly squirmed himself out of Snowy's jacket, leaving him completely topless. He stopped his sentence once he saw Mary looking upon his topless torso with a sensual look on her face.

"Well, of course there's something wrong. But, I can fix it." She replied, then looked over towards Snowy. "I left a trail of posts in the ground along the way here, so you can follow those back to your home. You go ahead and get to the others, saying you both were completely safe. I'll stay here with him and tend to his…'problem'."

"That sounds great!" Snowy replied.

"W-Wait, what?" Joe asked, confused.

Snowy then grabbed her bag, and stepped to the entrance of the cave.

"I'll see you at home then. Hope you get better!" She said, before waving goodbye, and started on her way out.

"W-Wait, don't leave me here with her!" Joe yelled, but his words couldn't reach her.

It was only Mary and Joe in the cave now.

And she started to undress.

"I think it should be my turn to…'Keep you warm', don't you think?" Mary said, as she stepped closer to Joe, only showing more skin with each article of clothing she removed.

"Sorry, but I think I'm gonna have to pass." Joe only said, as he attempted to dash past Mary.

But Mary thought ahead of the young man.

She quickly went into her bag and pulled out a cyan-colored bottle of liquid, and threw it in his direction.

Joe could not react in time, as the bottle smashed to the ground directly below him, splashing the contents on his feet.

In that moment, his legs became extremely stiff, and could barely move them.

"W-What the hell?" He asked, bewildered at this condition.

"Gotta love the slow-potion, right?" She said, before he stripped her final article of clothing, leaving her in her underwear.

"W-Wait...Did you say 'Slow'?" Joe frantically asked.

Mary then grabbed Joe by the arm, feeling his bare muscles.

"Oh, I'm gonna have fun with these~" She said, before pulling Joe, dragging him towards the deeper end of the cave.

"H-Hey, cut it out!" He yelled, attempting to move his legs.

She pulled him until they were unable to be seen in the darkness, in which only their voices could be heard.

"Now, be a good boy, I won't have to get too rough, okay~?" Came Mary's voice.

"W-What do you mean? H-Hey, give me back my pants!" Came Joe's screaming voice.

Amidst the sound of Mary's giggling and Joe's screaming, he let out one final plea at the top of his voice.

"SOMEONE HELP ME!"

* * *

**Well then, this is certainly bringing me back.**

**I've always enjoyed updating this one in particular, because rather than making a story based on one universe, I can do whatever I want due to the open-ended-ness of Minecraft.**

**And just so you know, No, Mary didn't rape Joe.**

**She only teased and cuddled with him.**

**I have no intention of adding a lemon to this story, or even any hint towards it, because I think it would throw off the whole "Action/Adventure with Romance, with a little bit of Ecchi" theme of this story.**

**Sure, you could argue with me with the situation in Ch. 24, but that's only because it was kinda a normal thing with arranged marriages in ancient times.**

**Anyway, I'm getting off-topic.**

**Thank you for being so patient with me, I'll look forward to seeing you in the next chapter.**


	31. Invitation

**I hope everyone had a great holiday, because it's back to work.**

**I'm hoping to finish this fic by the end of this year, as I have much, bigger plans for this year. What they are, is a secret until then.**

**Anyway, thank you for your patience.**

**Enjoy.**

* * *

"My Lord, we have everything prepared. All we need is your command,"

"Good. Are all the persons I specifically asked prepared?"

"Yes, My Lord."

"Wonderful. The plan is in motion."

"Shall we execute the first phase, My Lord?"

"See to it."

* * *

It had been a few days since Joe's and Snowy's snow-filled adventure, as the day was calm, with only a slight breeze in the air.

Joe decided to take a day off of working, as he laid sprawled on the couch, supporting his head with his hands.

Cupa, Andr, and Yaebi sat next to him on the floor, talking among themselves. Mostly about current events that had occurred in the village.

"We really should see what that librarian has one of these days, maybe we could have a better time gathering food with the right knowledge." Andr proposed.

"That would sound like a good idea. How would that sound, Joe?" Yaebi asked the resting young man.

"Well, I think that would only be necessary for if we really can't find anything, but I made sure we have more than what we need." He replied, smiling.

"Yeah, maybe you're right…" Yaebi said, scratching his head.

Meanwhile, something caught Cupa's attention.

"Does anyone else hear that pulsing sound?" She asked, causing Joe to open an eye and ear.

Cupa was correct with one thing, there was definitely a sound of a pulse in the air.

"Yeah, I can. What is that?" Andr asked.

Joe then rose from the couch, and walked in the direction of the sound.

"I think it's coming from upstairs." He said, as he trailed upstairs, with the rest following after.

Once Joe reached the top, something caught his eye in the corner of the room.

Across the room laid a pile of the pieces of Joe's armor, but with a small glimmer of light pulsing from within the pile.

He dug through the armor pieces, and revealed that the small jewel on his right-hand gauntlet that Blazzette had given him was glowing with a pulse.

He picked up the glove, and looked at it closely.

After a moment of thought, he finally realized the significance.

"Uh oh." He said flatly, as he dropped the gauntlet to the ground and ran over towards a chest that was placed near his bed.

He pulled out his backpack, and a few bottles of different colored liquids. He swiftly ran to the armor-pile, and put on his armor as fast as he could.

Meanwhile, Cupa had come upstairs, and saw Joe's frantic state.

"Joe-kun? What's wrong?" She asked.

"The Troublestone is going off." He said, buckling his gauntlets on his forearms.

"Troublestone? Is that whats making that noise?" Cupa said, staring at the pulsating jewel on his hand.

"Yeah. It means there's something going on back at the kingdom. The Princess is calling me back." He said, as he tied his boot against his bed.

Cupa's expression dropped at this.

"Oh, right. _The Princess._" She said annoyingly.

Joe heard this, and sighed with a smile.

"I know you don't like her, Cupa. But I was royally knighted, and I'm their General." Joe explained.

"N-No, no, I'm not mad about that anymore. But...Just be careful this time, ok? I don't want you in any danger." Cupa replied.

Joe chuckled at this.

"Have you seen what's been happening the past few weeks?" He coyly said.

Cupa made a small laugh under her breath.

"You got me there." She said, as she stepped towards Joe. "I'm just saying that if I hear one more story about how you almost die, I'm going to hit you with a shovel."

This made Joe laugh quite a bit. He then held out his hand, his pinky extended.

"Promise." He stated.

Cupa smiled, as she returned their pinky swear.

"Now, I'll only be gone for a little bit. I'll try and be home as soon as I can. In the meantime, You, Yaebi, and Ria are in charge." Joe explained.

Cupa nodded. "I'll watch over the house, got it."

Joe smiled, as his attention went towards the window.

"I'll be losing daylight in a moment. I'll gather whatever supplies I need downstairs." He said, making his way towards the stairs, with Cupa following suit.

He reached the lower level, only to have Yaebi waiting at the bottom.

He looked at Joe with a smile on his face, and he seemed to have Susano in his arms.

"Yaebi?" Joe asked.

The young zombie-boy raised the sword and offered it to the young man.

"You'll need this. I heard everything." He stated.

Joe chuckled at this, and rubbed Yaebi's head. "Thanks, Little Man. Now, remember what I taught you about sword play. Someone or something could come up at anytime, and you'll have to defend the family."

Yaebi nodded. "I've been practicing, I can take anyone on!"

"Sure sounds like it." Joe said, chuckling his words.

Meanwhile, Andr had joined the group.

"Good luck, Joe-kun. You might need it this time." She said, with a slight sarcastic tone.

"Accidents and stuff just happen all around me, I guess." He said laughing a tad as he stuffed his backpack full of spare supplies.

"Let's just hope he doesn't come back with his soul attached to something." Cupa joked, her arms crossed.

This joke made everyone laugh for a few moments, until Joe was all packed up.

"Ok, I should be going. The castle could be on fire for all I know." He said, as he walked towards the door, slipping into his shoes. "Be safe everyone, I'll be right back." He said as he left through the door, leaving everyone inside.

"Did you mean it when you said you would hit him with a shovel if something happens to him?" Yaebi asked Cupa, breaking the silence.

"Oh, yes. Yes I was." Cupa sternly replied.

* * *

Joe was set on the trail towards the cave housing the Nether Portal, growing more worried with every step her took.

"What if there's a murderer in the castle, o-or an assassin for Flare? Even a War!?" She said as he ran along the green grass.

He eventually reached the opening to the cave, in which he practically kicked the door leading inside.

He quickly sprinted through the dark, long corridors of the cave, following the trail of torches he made leading towards the Nether Portal.

He could see a distinctively purple glow at the end of of the corridor.

He stood in front of the portal, watching the purple matter swirl in itself.

"God, I don't like using this thing...I almost barfed last time…" He said, hesitatingly holding his hand towards it.

The thought of the princess in danger crossed his mind, convincing himself.

"God dammit…" He sighed, as he slowly stuck his hand within the rift.

He already felt queasy from his hand alone, as he fought back the urge of hurling.

He took a few deep breaths, as he slowly stepped forward into the portal, feeling more sick as he continued.

He soon found himself surrounded in nothing but a glowing, purple void, floating within the light.

The result of the crossing of the portal caused his mind to fail him, as he grew exhausted and felt his strength fail him.

"Huh…" He said, enduring the raging headache he was given. "I don't feel like passing out-Ah, there it is." He said, shortly before blacking out, his body limping.

Then, with a quick flash of light, Joe disappeared, leaving the portal empty.

* * *

Joe sat within the dark void of his mind, crossing his arms.

"Man, I come here a lot, don't I?" He asked himself.

Moments pass, as the void remained silent.

This confused the young man.

"What, nothing to say? No wisdom of what's to come?" He asked into the empty void.

Silence.

"Well, that's unnerving…" He said, looking around himself, seeing only the abyss of black. "Hey! Where are you?" He asked, raising his voice.

He could only hear echoes of his own voice.

The silence was deafening to him. "Come on, of all times, now you don't show up?"

_Looking for me?_

This made Joe jump. This was not the same voice as before. instead of a soft, encouraging voice, he heard a deep, raspy tone. He immediately recognized the voice.

"Y-You!?" He exclaimed, standing straight.

_Miss me, Big Guy?_

"W-Where's the other one!?" He screamed into the void.

_Oh, that one's just a little caught up. I thought I'd fill in. _The voice replied, in a sinister tone.

"You're planning something, aren't you!"

_Oh, how rude, and all I was trying to do was say hi to my favorite mortal._

"Cut the shit! What's going on!?"

_Wow, looks like we got a tough guy here. I seem to remember you shaking to the bone when you heard my real voice, felt my presence _The voice chuckled.

"I've taken on the challenge of the Tourney, and defeated Dreu. I'm not afraid of you anymore!" He said, pointing into the darkness.

An evil cackle came from the voice.

_I see. I see, that's good! That's very good!_

"What?" Joe said, concerned.

_Let's just say, keep your bravery of me going. I might need it later._

"W-Wait, what?" Joe asked, growing more concerned.

_Don't you worry about that. I'll see you in a bit, kid._

"W-Wait, I'm not done with you!"

_Well, I am. Besides, you're waking up._

In that moment, the black void started to illuminate, covering the darkness in light.

"H-Hey!" Joe said, before the light encompassed around him, bringing him back reality.

* * *

" Oh dear, oh dear! P-Please Master Joe, please wake up!"

His consciousness started to come back to him, as he slowly started to open his eyes.

He could see above him, and could see a maroon colored ceiling.

"M-Master Joe?"

He turned his head towards the voice.

"K...Krieg?" He asked, recognizing the creature standing next to him.

"Oh, you're awake, Master Joe!" The pig-man excitedly stated.

Joe sat straight, feeling his mind return to him.

"W-Where am I?" He asked, holding his head.

"Oh, you're in the guest room, sir. You see, we found you completely passed out when you crossed the rift. We hauled you all the way here." Krieg replied.

"What about the princess? Is she ok?" Joe asked in return.

"Oh, her majesty is just fine. She led the search for you when you hadn't come for six hours."

"S-Six hours!? But I came as fast as I could! How long have I been asleep!?" Joe asked, with a worrisome tone.

"W-Well, if you count the time it took to bring you here...around another six hours." Krieg replied.

Joe's eyes widened in shock.

"But..How long has it been since you sent that distress signal?"

"W-Why, it had been twelve hours sir!"

"W-What!? But I came as soon as I could when I got the beacon!"

Krieg fliched at this.

"T-That means...You were out cold for those first six hours before we found you…"

Joe's jaw hanged over after he heard this.

"H-How could I have been passed out for almost twelve hours? I felt just fine when I went in…"

Krieg cleared his throat. "I'm afraid we can not explain the phenomena, sir…"

Joe rubbed his head, as his mind flashed back to his passed out state.

He heard _His _voice.

A large sigh came from Joe. "Screw it...So, where's the princess?"

"O-Oh, she's in her quarters. She said she would be in there until you awakened…" Krieg replied.

A wind of relief blew over Joe, as he flew the covers off of him.

"Oh, thank god…" He said, standing straight.

Once he did, He felt less of a burden on his body.

He looked at himself, and noticed that his armor was gone, leaving him only with his t-shirt, pants, and socks on.

"Uh, Krieg…?" He asked.

"O-Oh, I'm sorry, Sir. Her majesty took it upon herself to hold onto your possessions. You'll find them with her."

This surprised Joe.

_So, the girl who was more than ready to marry me, a regal princess of all people, is holding onto my clothes...I don't know whether to feel thankful or disturbed._ He thought as he rose from the bed.

"Oh, ok then. I should be going to her then." He replied, scratching his head.

"Oh, yes you must. Though she is in no danger, it is still a grave matter at hand." Krieg replied, with a concerned tone.

Joe nodded at this.

"Guess I should get there fast then!" Joe stated, as he darted for the door.

"Good luck, Sir!" Krieg yelled back before Joe closed the door.

* * *

Joe jogged through the regal hallways of the North Kingdom's Castle, passing by maids and servants tending to their jobs.

He then heard a voice once he reached the lobby.

"Hey, Joe!"

He turned his attention to the direction of the voice, and smiled at who he found.

"Maggie!" He yelled back.

Better yet, the young Magma Cube stood downstairs of the lobby, smiling as she held onto what looked like a stuffed animal of a pig-man.

He walked down the stairs towards the little girl, only to have her run to him and jump towards him.

"Hugs!" She yelled, as she thudded into Joe, wrapping her arms around his neck.

Joe laughed at this, as he returned the hug with one arm, as Maggie rubbed her face against his in affection.

"Oh, I'm so glad you're awake! I thought you would never wake up!" She cried, tightening her grip on the young man.

"Well, I was asleep for a while…" He said, as Maggie loosened her grip on Joe, as he let her down to the floor.

"People don't sleep for that long!" Maggie said, puffing her cheeks.

Joe scratched the back of his head, with a sense of guilt in his smile.

"I'll be more careful next time, then." He said, smiling. "Now, I'd love to play, but I got to get to the Princess."

"Aww…" Maggie whined. "Can you next time, then?"

"Promise." Joe said, flashing a toothy grin. He turned and waved towards Maggie, who waved in return, and started back up the stairs. He continued along the upper corridor until the Maggie and the lobby were out of sight.

He counted the doors, and until he stopped at the right door.

He raised his hand, and was about to knock onto the door, until he heard a voice come from the room.

"Ohh, which one? Which one would he like more?"

Joe grew confused after he heard that last line. He could have sworn he heard Blazette's voice, which only confused him more as he thought about it.

He then took his raised hand and knocked onto the door, causing the voice on the other side to chirp in surprise.

"W-Who is it?" Came the princess's voice.

"Uhh...It's me…?" Joe replied, only to hear a slight squeal.

"O-Oh! J-J-Just a minute then!" She said back, with a few sounds of metal clanking and paper crumpling ringing from the other side.

After a solid five minutes of waiting, Joe heard the princess's voice ring out.

"Y-You can come in now!" came her voice, only it sounded nervous to his ears.

He then opened the door, to see the familiar room.

At the window, stood the familiar figure of the princess Blazette, who was looking out the window.

"I got your message, and came here as soon as I can. Little did I know I would be out cold for twelve hours after crossing over…" Joe explained himself, as he closed the door behind him.

"O-Oh, no, it's fine." Blazette replied as Joe walked to the center of the room.

He could see his set of armor and sweater neatly folded on her bed, and his bag and sword laid near the pillow of her bed.

"So, what's the problem? South Kingdom spy? Assassination attempt?"

The princess seemed hesitant, as she turned towards the young man.

"No, its none of that…" She replied, walking up to Joe.

"Well, are you hurt? Any danger?" Joe asked.

"No, no, no danger or anything like that…" She replied, twiddling her fingers.

Joe then noticed that Blazette seemed more timid and quiet with her words.

"Are you alright? You seem a little troubled by something." He asked, crossing his arms.

Blazette flinched at this, as she seemed to grow more frantic, yet timid.

"W-W-Well...I…" She started. "I...h-have a question…"

Joe raised an eyebrow at this.

"Shoot." He replied, his attention fixated on the young woman.

The princess then took a few deep breaths, seemingly collecting her thoughts. She then raised her head to the young man.

"W-What...do you think of me?" She asked.

Nothing but confusion struck Joe after hearing this.

"What...Do I think of you?" He asked.

The princess timidly nodded, and winced her face in embarrassment.

"Well...I think you're a good person...You're really responsible with your work, and you do have a good sense of justice…" Joe replied.

"B-But...What do you think of me..as…" Blazette muttered. "...As a woman?"

_Crap._

"U-Uh, w-well...I...er…" He said, turning red. He could see the princess looking at him, waiting for an answer. "Y-You're definitely one of the most beautiful girls I've ever seen…" He said, scratching his head.

The princess went beet red after hearing this.

"R-Really..w-well, that's good…" She muttered, slightly smiling.

"Flare, what's this about?" Joe asked in a stern tone

Blazette raised her head at this.

"You call me here, with the thoughts of the castle burning, or you possibly being hurt. And now you ask me of how I think about you? Whats going on?" He asked.

He seemed to hit the spot, as Blazette took a deep breath.

"Well, it looks like I'm backed into a corner...I'll tell you…" She started.

She then took Joe's hands, and held them with hers, as she started into his eyes.

"Would you...Be my date for a Ball?"

Joe's mind went blank with shock after hearing this.

"W-Wait...What?"

* * *

**Wow, I finally got this out, and it's not 8 AM this time!**

**But I think I do owe you guys an explanation…**

**For the last few months, I have been hunting for a new job, since the one I got the last time I was unemployed did not end so well.**

**I've been so busy getting a new job, that I had no time nor the inspiration to continue with this fic.**

**This doesn't mean that I don't have ideas for it, but I just couldn't deliver it into words.**

**You all are awesome for being his patient. I know I say this a lot, but know when I say that I am truly grateful that you are so supportive and patient towards me, even in this rut in my life.**

**The plot of the story shall be more prominent from now on, as there is going to be less filler. I'll also be introducing a lot more characters from here, so I hope you can keep up with everything.**

**With that all said, I should be running off. After all, I have a job interview tomorrow morning. Fingers crossed.**

**Thank you for your time, I shall see you all in the next chapter.**


	32. Consideration

**Hey guys, I don't really know what to really give you for an intro, so I'll just let you read this next chapter right away.**

**Letting out my frustrations really helped me out in the long run, and I have you all to thank for that.**

**Enjoy.**

* * *

"I-I...Was wondering if you could be my escort for a ball in the South Kingdom…" The princess nervously explained.

The words "South Kingdom" made Joe's heart drop.

"The...South Kingdom?" He asked.

"Y-Yes...They are hosting it to negotiate a peace treaty. We would never have to worry about their attempts to oppress us again." Blazette replied.

Joe then pulled his hands away from the princess. This left her confused, as she looked at the torn young man.

"J-Joe?" She asked.

"No." He simply said.

The princess's eyes widened at this.

"W...What?" She stuttered.

"I said no!" Joe yelled, letting out his frustration. "They kidnap my friends, send men after me, and _now _they want to talk about peace!?"

Nothing but shock came across the princess.

"T-They...They did?" She asked.

"Yes!" Joe yelled in return. "If I hadn't come sooner, lord knows what could have happened!"

"I-I understand, but this is-"

"No! I won't! They endangered me and my friends! I won't forgive them!" He screamed. "And have you forgotten the incident in which their prince tried to overthrow the kingdom!?"

"O-Of course not! But that was in the past! And you still beat him! They just want to extend their hands in peace so that incidents such as that don't occur again!" Blazette argued back.

"I may have beaten him, but I still had to fight him! I _literally died_ when I fought him! If I hadn't had Susano, you would have been his concubine by now!" Joe yelled in return, making the princess at a loss for words. "I won't have anything to do with those bastards, not unless I'm tearing the King's spine from his body!"

"J-Joe, this isn't like you…" The princess replied, as she grabbed onto Joe's arm.

He pulled it away from Blazette, much to her dismay.

"I'm sorry. But I won't." He said, as he turned towards the door.

As soon as he started to walk towards the door, Blazette jumped at him, securing her arms around his torso.

"P-Please, I need you with this!" She begged.

"Flare, please try to understand. I'm not going to negotiate anything with anyone who hurts my friends." Joe said, putting a hand to hers.

"But we won't have another chance like this! Please, just listen to me! This isn't like you at all!" The princess screamed.

Joe's heart dropped at this.

"Not like me…?" He asked, in a dropped tone.

The princess heard this, and slowly let go of the young man, seemingly out of fear.

"And just what do you know about me?" Joe asked, as he turned around and stared at the princess with an angry look.

"W-Well...I-I…" The princess stammered. She could think of nothing to say.

"That's right. Nothing." Joe coldly replied.

"B-But you're my fiance!" She said in return.

Joe made an annoyed chuckle at this.

"Is that it?" He asked. "You didn't choose for me to be engaged to you. All you know about me is that I can fight, and fight honorably at that." He explained, giving an annoyed look.

"B-But that only means that you are a good person! A-And you're willing to help those in need!"

"What, and that means that I'm willing to give up my pride to negotiate with the same person who wanted me dead!? I may try to be a good person, but anyone who tries to hurt my friends or anyone I care about, I will have nothing to do with." Joe screamed in the princess's face.

Blazette was at a complete loss for words. She couldn't think of the words that would convince the young man.

"So if we are done here, I'm going back home. I told them I wouldn't get caught up in anything." Joe stated, as he turned and walked out the door, slamming it on his way out.

The princess was alone, with only her thoughts.

"But...I need you…" She said, as she stared at the ground in her thoughts.

* * *

Joe stomped through the corridors of the castle, heading towards the guest room.

"Thinks she knows all about me just because we're engaged. We're not even getting married!" He complained to himself.

As he stormed through the halls, he eventually reached the guest room, ignoring at he servants and maids as he passed though.

Two of the servants attempted to say hello to the young man, but he was too steamed to even give them a reply.

ONce he reached the guest room, he could see Krieg exiting out through the door.

He noticed Joe, and beamed a bit in excitement.

"Oh, Master Joe! I assume you talked to the princess?" He asked.

"Yep." Joe replied, as he easily stepped over the short pig-man, entering the room.

This flabbergasted Krieg, as he followed suit.

"I-Is there anything wrong, Young Master?" He asked.

"I told her I'm not helping." He said, as he walked towards his clothes pile.

Krieg almost went into shock after hearing this.

"Y-You said what!?" He asked.

"I said I'm not going to help. And you're not going to convince me." Joe replied, as he slipped into his sweater.

"B-B-But Sir, this is of a most grave importance!"

Joe then turned to the pig-man, staring him down.

"Tell me Krieg. Do you know the concept of Human pride?" He asked, crossing his arms.

"I-I may not know of your pride, but this is for the whole kingdom! If we don't go through with this, Her Majesty will remain in danger!" Krieg replied.

"Then why do _I _have to be the one? Can't she just take one of the guards? You know, ones with actual combat training?" Joe asked back.

"Sir, It's more complicated than that…" Krieg replied. "The invitation called for _you_."

"Well, then I'm declining." Joe stated, as he slipped on his cuirass.

Krieg then sighed.

"Sir, if only you could understand…"

"Oh, not this bull again!" Joe yelled in annoyance. "The only thing I 'understand', is that I'm not going to negotiate anything with the same people who tried to have me killed." He replied.

"S-Sir, I…"

"You know what, fine! Just give me a reason to go through with his! If you don't besides what you've just said, then leave me alone!"

Krieg was silent.

"You're mind is really made up, isn't it, Young Master?"

"If there is no reason that benefits me, then I'll have nothing to do with it." Joe coldly replied.

Krieg sighed at this.

He had nothing to say.

"Suit yourself, Sir." He blankly stated, as he started for the door.

He had opened it halfway, on his way out, when he looked back at Joe.

"But this really is for the safety of the kingdom, Sir." He said, looking down. "Running the kingdom since you were gone has been hard on Her Majesty. Ever since the King and Queen were killed, it's just been her."

Joe raised his head at this, staring at the pig-man.

"Just the thought of you returning filled her with more hope than I had ever seen her…"

Joe looked down to the ground at this.

"She trusts you more than anyone." Krieg stated, before exiting the room, closing the door behind him.

Joe was alone in the room, with only his thoughts to keep him company.

After hearing Krieg's words, he was lost in his own mind.

_Only one she trusts…_

He braced his mind, set on his decision, as he fitted the rest of his armor on himself.

He grabbed his gear, and started towards the door.

Once he grabbed the doorknob, Krieg's words echoed into his mind.

_The thought of you returning gave her hope…_

Joe shook his head, as he opened the door and exited suit.

* * *

As he marched through the halls, he met the same servants and maids from earlier before.

They seemed to completely ignore him, due to his earlier behavior.

He tried to wave them down, but to no avail. Some only looked at him in dread, then shortly returned to their work.

This wrenched Joe's heart, as he clenched his fist.

He stepped through the halls past the workers with heavy feet, leaving them coldly.

This dug into his mind, as his mood and anger dropped.

_Fine…_

His steps escalated into running, as he sped past everyone in the halls.

He ran, and ran, and ran. But no matter how much he ran, he couldn't stop his heart from breaking with the thought of everyone shunning him.

He eventually reached the outskirts of the Kingdom, and he could see the glowing purple portal in the distance.

Krieg's words kept echoing through his mind as he took each step.

_The Kingdom will remain in danger._

_This is a most grave importance._

_She trusts you the most._

Joe then stopped walking, remaining completely still.

_Trusts you the most…_

He then stared at the portal, lost in his thoughts.

Did he dare throw away his own pride for the safety of the Kingdom, or remain in the Overworld? He was well aware that the duties given to him were out of trust. He may of won the Tourney, but it was not his strength that helped him.

It was the ones he cares for that kept him fighting.

He looked at his hand. The only reason he is alive is because of the friends he believed in.

His mind then flashed to his friends back at home.

Their smiling faces…

The way that they always inflame his heart…

Cupa's warm and encouraging grasp…

He blinked at this. Why did his mind point towards Cupa?

He felt his cheeks flare and heart shake whenever he thought about her.

He then remembered the trouble he went through when he last returned.

The girls would have been long gone if he had not acted.

Cupa would have been taken away, and only god knows what could have happened.

He clenched his fist.

"Trust…" He said to himself, looking at his hand.

If we would just swallow his pride, and go through with this…

_She would be safe…_

He quickly turned, and faced the Kingdom, which he could see a vast amount from his standpoint.

He sighed deeply.

"Flare got me out of being executed back then." He said, to himself.

"I guess it would only be right for me to repay the favor." He said, smiling as he quickly dashed into the other direction, heading towards the Kingdom.

* * *

The princess had remained in her room when Joe stormed out, as she sat on her bed, brooding with her thoughts.

_What made me think he would really say yes…_

She hugged her legs, as her fear got the best of her.

_What is to become of the Kingdom if I can't even go through with this...If he would say yes…_

At that moment, a noise of steps shot through the room.

She could hear voices from outside of her room. One was of a nearby maid, but the other sounded familiar.

"H-Hey, Is the princess still in here?"

"W-Why does it matter to you?"

"Because I realized my mistake."

The princess's eyes widened at this. She recognized this voice.

"J-Joe?" She asked.

"M-Mistake, sir?"

"Well, I was kinda a dick back there...I'm sorry, by the way."

"O-Oh, it's fine, Master...But..What made you change your mind?"

"Heheh...Well...let's just say she scratched my back, so I guess it's only reasonable that I scratch hers."

The princess felt her heart leap after hearing this.

"E-Er…'Scratched her back', sir?"

"I-Its just a saying."

The princess then rose from her bed, and stepped towards the door. She then leaned against the door, listening to the voice's words.

"She could have had me executed like anyone else back during the Tournament. She believed in me. Thought I could make a difference...Well, now it's about time I repay the favor."

"Well, that sounds very noble of you, Sir."

A chuckle came from the voice.

"Well, I am the General after all. I have a responsibility to this place."

"Its good to see that you still have those beliefs, Sir. The princess was right in choosing you."

"Oh, don't say that, you'll make me blush."

The princess could only smile at this, as she listened to the voice's words.

"Now, at the risk of appearing rude, Is the princess in here?"

"Ah, yes. She hasn't left since."

"Good. Thank you very much."

A slight knocking sound then came from the door.

"H-Hello? Flare?" the voice asked.

Blazette replied by unlocking the door, causing whoever was on the other side to open the door.

Better yet, Joe stood in the door frame, looking into the room.

He saw the princess in front of him, and nearly jumped.

"O-Oh, uh...Hey…" He said, scratching his head.

"Hey." The princess replied, smiling.

Joe looked around, avoiding eye contact in fear of making the situation awkward.

"L-Listen, I uh…" He started. "I was kind of an ass there, and...You were kinda right...I wasn't really myself there...So, I just want to say I'm-Gah!" Joe said, only to be interrupted by the princess tackling him, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"Don't worry about it. I heard everything from here." She replied, nuzzling her head into his chest.

Joe gave out a soft chuckle, as he rubbed the princess's head.

"Everything, huh?" He asked.

The princess then released Joe, and looked at him.

"I realize that you don't trust the South Kingdom...But you really are the only one I can turn to with this…" She said. "I'm very worried about what may happen, but I know I can count on you."

Joe went a tad red at this.

"W-Well, it's only fair that I return the favor, and go through with this. If it means that you, the kingdom, and my friends will all be safe, then I'll be willing to throw away my anger and distrust." He replied.

Blazette giggled at this.

"And that's why I trust you the most." She said, before grabbing Joe's arm, embracing it closely.

Joe felt his heart jump, as he scratched his cheek in embarrassment.

"O-Oh, don't go saying stuff like that, I get embarrassed easily…" He said, smiling in return.

The princess then released Joe's arm, and let him stand, with her standing in return.

"I think I know a way you can feel a little more at ease with this whole dilemma." She said as she walked towards her desk, rummaging through papers.

Joe titled his head in slight confusion at Blazette's words.

"What do you mean?" He asked.

The princess then went to a drawer of her desk and pulled out a small, metal cylinder.

She turned, and walked back towards Joe, with a bright smile on her face.

"How about we invite your friends as well?"

* * *

**Yay! Another chapter finished during the daytime!**

**You have no idea how good it feels to be back in doing frequent updates again.**

**I'm still hanging on, but hopefully this will be as fun for you to read as it was for me to create.**

**Thank you for your time, I'll see you in the next chapter.**


	33. Evening of Relaxation

**Hello there, been a while.**

**You have another chapter to read, so I'll be fast. Apologies for the late chapter, I've just been everywhere the past few days.**

**Thank you for your patience.**

**Enjoy.**

* * *

Joe's eyes perked at the princess's words.

"My...friends?" He asked, an eyebrow raised.

Blazette smiled at this.

"Well, if you're so worried about your friends, then we can just bring them along with." She replied.

"Well, I guess I can go get them real quick…" Joe said. "But, wouldn't that be a bit dangerous?"

The princess then walked towards the young man, and grabbed his hand. "Well, not if they have the best swordsman in the North Kingdom right next to them, right?"

Joe went a tad pink at this compliment.

"Well, I mean...I guess…" He said, scratching his head in embarrassment.

The princess smiled at this.

"Shall we then? I've been wanting to meet those you were fighting so hard to return to."

Joe then gestured his arms towards the door for the young woman.

"After you." He said, the princess nodding, as she walked towards the door, with Joe following suit.

* * *

Moments pass, as the young man and woman step into the grand hall of the castle9.

"We'll need an open space for this." Blazette mentioned, as she walked downstairs towards the open area.

Joe followed suit, and stood to the side as he watched the princess hold the metal cylindrical object in front of her.

She grabbed and pulled from the top, as the object revealed to be for storage, as it revealed what looked like a paper scroll.

After removing said scroll, the princess unrolled the scroll.

"Come over here." she said, prompting Joe to walk to her.

"Whats all this about?" He asked.

"It's a secret teleportation spell I found in the basement of this castle. It should work like the portal you came here from, but for a limited time." Blazzette replied.

"_How_ limited?" Joe asked.

"Anywhere between fifteen to twenty minutes. I think."

"You '_think_'?"

"Calm down, you'll have plenty of time." the princess giggled. "Now, hold onto my hands."

"Oh, er, alright." Joe replied, as he placed his hands over hers.

After a few moments, a small light emanated from his hands.

The dim light grew in size, fitting perfectly in Joe's hands.

"Whoa…" he said, his eyes fixated on the light.

With that, the princess began to mutter words of a foreign language to the young man's ears.

"Mudra Langdu, Yavuz Lowridi…" she muttered, as the light started to change color.

The light illuminated the whole room, switching from one vibrant color to the next.

"S-So what happens next?" Joe asked, slightly concerned.

The princess remained silent, as the light began to shrink, fitting into her hands.

Joe removed his hands, as Blazette held the light close to her.

"Now...You will need to embrace me." She flatly stated.

Joe's eyes widened at this, and his cheeks turned a light pink.

"W-Well, alright...I guess…" He said, scratching his head in embarrassment. He nervously stepped closer to the princess, and slowly wrapped his arms around her upper torso.

"Yes...Just like that…" She stated, as she nuzzled her head into Joe's chest.

"S-So...what's the significance of this?" Joe asked.

The Princess giggled. "Oh, nothing. I just wanted it."

"W-Wait, Wha-"

_**WHOOSH!**_

And in a flash, Joe disappeared, not a trace of him left.

The princess held her hands close to her heart, as she giggled to herself.

"One step at a time…"

* * *

Meanwhile, back at Joe's home in the Overworld, the girls were lounging, unsure of what to do, while Yaebi was sleeping on the couch.

"Master has been gone for quite some time…" Snowy said, concern in her tone.

"I'm sure he will be fine. I've seen how he handles himself." Ria replied.

"Yeah, whatever comes at him, he could kick their butt two biomes over!" Lia stated, smiling.

"But it does become somewhat bothersome whenever we have to wait for him. He always goes alone…" Andr said in return.

"He says he doesn't want any of us hurt." Nia softly snapped.

"Yeah, but he gets to do so much cool stuff! He got to see a whole kingdom! With kings and queens and knights!" Cupa excitedly exclaimed.

"He was almost killed three times. No, four times. Because of Yan, remember?" Nia snapped back, her voice raised.

"It's still boring, though!" Lia grumbled, slumping in her seat.

"Well, it's not like he's going to just pop in here, telling us to come with him to that kingdom!"

_**WHOOSH!**_

At that moment, Joe appeared out of thin air, making all the girls jump in the air, and causing some to nearly fall off of their seats.

The young man frantically turned his head, confused of his surroundings.

"Oh, uh...Hey, guys…"

"Master!" Snowy yelled in happiness, as she tackled Joe, her arms right around his neck.

He struggled to breathe, as he tapped on her arms.

"Snowy...Can't...Breathe…" he croaked.

Snowy then smiled, as she released Joe, who gasped deeply, regaining his breath.

"Whoa, how did you do that?" Lia excitedly asked.

"It's...a long...story…" Joe said, slightly panting between words.

Meanwhile, Nia picked herself off the ground, glaring at Joe.

"Hey, if you're gonna pop out of nowhere, at least give us a warning!" She yelled, jabbing him in the side with her finger.

"Sorry…" he said as he regained his breath. "I'm only here for a short while, but I'm here to tell you something. The princess asked me to come with her to a ball, and she wants to invite you all as well."

Except for Snowy, all the girls' faces lit up at the word of a ball being thrown, let alone a royal ball.

"Y-You mean...like a ball for royalty?" Andr asked.

"Sure is."

"And she wants to invite _us?_" Cupa asked.

"Sure does."

"With kings and lords and barons?" Lia asked.

"Sure do-...Actually, I'm not sure." Joe replied. "But, do you all wanna come?"

"Hell yeah, I wanna go!" Lia replied, raising her hand.

"It would be nice to drop by, at least." Ria said, raising her hand as well.

Nia crossed her arms. "Wherever Lia goes, I go with her. She causes less trouble that way." She said, a tad of pink in her cheeks.

"I think it sounds like a lot of fun. I'll come along too." Andr stated, smiling. "What do you think, Cupa-chan?"

"..."

"...Cupa-chan?"

She looked over to Cupa, who seemed joyfully lost in her daydreams again.

"Cupa?" Joe asked, waving his hand in her face.

Cupa quickly snapped back to reality, looking at Joe with a red face.

"A-A royal ball...huh?" She croaked.

"Yeah." He said, walking closer to her. "It would mean a lot if you guys did."

Cupa stared into Joe's eyes, before nodding in return.

"What about you, Snowy?" He asked.

"O-Oh, I think it sounds like a lot of fun...but…"

"But…?" Joe asked.

"...Well...I'm a snowwoman. We don't do really well in the Nether...But I'm okay with staying behind. I'll clean up while you're gone." She said, smiling.

As much as Joe didn't want to admit it, he still nodded his head in confirmation.

"I understand." He said with a slight frown.

"We wish you could come, but maybe we can bring something back for you." Andr said, walking over to Snowy and holding her hands.

Snowy smiled brightly at Andr's words.

"That would be amazing, thank you." She said with a radiant smile.

Joe chuckled to himself at this.

"Yeah, that sounds like a great-" He said.

It was only at that moment that he felt some force in his mind, drawing his attention.

"Joe-kun?" Cupa asked.

"Everyone who's coming, hold onto me."

These words confused the girls.

"Um...what?" Nia asked.

"Ill explain everything later. Everyone's who's coming, hold onto me, one way or another."

"Yeah!" Lia screamed excitedly, as she jumped on and latched herself to Joe's torso.

Both Cupa and Andr grabbed onto Joe's right arm, as Ria and Nia held onto the other.

"Yaebi, wanna come along?" Joe asked the young zombie boy.

"And go back to the Nether? I'm gonna have to say no. Besides, I think Snowy would be much less lonely that way." He replied, looking over at the frowning snow-woman, who immediately beamed into a smile.

"Awww!" Snowy squealed as she ran and bear-hugged the young boy, with the faint sound of a crack in the air.

At that moment, pulses of bright, wispy white lines of energy started to resonate from Joe.

"Looks like it's time to go. Everyone ready?" He asked.

After a small moment of everyone confirming, the resonation of energy emitted from Joe started to intensify, glowing brighter by the second.

Just as the glowing seemed to be peaking, Joe could see a silhouette outside the front window of the house out the corner of his eye.

"What the-"

_**Slam!**_

In the middle of his words, The front door of the home was slammed open, revealing the witch Mary, panting her lungs out.

"M-Mary!?" Joe asked, confused.

"Think you can go off without me, do you!?" She yelled, as she sprinted towards Joe.

"Oh no…" Joe said, as Mary fiercely lunged after him, crashing into him and sending him towards the floor with everyone following after.

_**WHOOSH!**_

And as that happened, a brief flash of light surged, and before anyone knew, Joe and all those with him vanished, leaving Snowy and Yaebi alone.

The young zombie boy broke the small silene with a chuckle.

"So. What do you wanna do?" He asked.

"Lots!"

* * *

Meanwhile, back in the main hall of the Castle, the princess waited patiently for the young hero to return.

And by patiently, she ordered her servants to prepare the main hall for the new company she would have to host.

"Be sure to prepare lots of meat and such. And make sure proper provisions are made for their rooms." She said, ordering multiple servants moving around furniture and setting decorations.

"U-Uhm...My Lady?" One of the servants asked. "With the way you are having us set this up, it seems that it would be nothing but men returning with the Master."

"Well, Of course! I am the only woman in his life, so he must have a group of boys with him!"

"But My Lady...He rejected the wedding offer…" The servant replied.

The princess giggled at this. "Oh, he's just shy. He'll have to come around."

The servant could only sigh to himself, as he carried on with his duties.

At that moment, the exact spot in which the princess and Joe performed the spell started to glow with a dim light.

"Oh, he should be back any time soon! Everyone have everything ready?"

"Decorations set, My Lady!"

"Rooms for our guests are all ready, My Lady!"

The princess smiled to herself. "Perfect. Everyone, Ready!"

The light then started to grow and grow in brightness, almost to the point of blinding.

_**WHOOSH!**_

And in an instant, Joe and all those with him materialized, with them all crashing towards the floor.

The sight The princess saw baffled her beyond action.

The man she loved was on the floor with several girls laying upon him, few of them with larger assets to them.

Joe's face was stuck in Mary's chest, to the point of suffocating him.

"Mary...Can't...Breathe...:" Came Joe's muffled voice.

He managed to free his face, as his head hit the floor, directing his view to the shocked princess. Only moments passed when he realized the situation he was in.

"Uhm….I can explain."

* * *

A few moments passed later, as the princess was able to come to her senses, and sent the other girls to their own quarters.

She wanted Joe alone with her in her quarters.

The nervous, and slightly terrified Joe stood in the middle of the room.

Meanwhile, the princess closed the door behind her.

"So." She said flatly, almost making Joe jump.

"I-If it makes you feel any better, anything that happened, was a complete accident." Joe said, in a vain attempt to appease the princess.

The princess then turned around, and walked towards Joe, her expression hidden from his sight.

Joe only gulped to himself, expecting the worse to come to him. The princess then raised her head, looking dead into Joe's eyes.

She then grabbed the collar of his sweater, lowering his head to hers.

"I'll allow them to stay here."

"H-Huh?"

"I'm not just going to say no. They're still your friends, and I'm sure you care deeply for them." Blazette stated.

"W-Well, If it weren't for them, I probably would be either dead, or gone insane long ago…" Joe replied.

Blazette only made a soft smile.

"But just remember. _I_, am your fiance. Got it?"

"Y-Yes ma'am…" Joe squeaked.

"Good. Now go get yourself ready for dinner. The royal bath has been prepared for you." The princess stated, smiling.

"Wait...You mean a hot bath...in hot water?" Joe asked with a very hopeful tone.

Blazette raised an eyebrow. "Isn't that usually how you usually bathe?"

Joe could only grab the princess by the shoulders, looking into her eyes.

"You have no idea how long it's been since I had a hot bath."

He then released the princess, and darted for the door, saying "See you at dinner!" as he left the room, leaving the princess alone.

She crossed her arms, giving a coy smile.

"You could've said that the last time you were here."

* * *

Joe was in a dead sprint for wherever the royal bath might be, occasionally asking the nearby servants for directions.

Once he made it to the bathing room, the sight was mesmerizing.

A whole room, filled with steam from the hot bath water.

The sight nearly put a tear in his eyes.

He immediately stripped down to nothing, he couldn't help himself. He dove straight into the open bath, splashing water within a five foot radius of the bath.

He quickly re-surfaced, with only the most satisfying feeling that only a hot bath gave give to someone.

The first hot bath he had since first arriving in this world, and he was thoroughly enjoying himself.

"I almost forgot what hot water felt like!" He said to himself, as he stretched himself across the bath.

He was in a perfect state of comfort and relaxation, as he let the water take all his senses from him.

"Ever since I came to this world…" He said to himself.

But those words struck a thought in his mind.

"...Just how long has it been since I came here? Can't be more than a few weeks…" He said to himself. He remembered his life back home in his world, and couldn't help but feel slightly homesick.

"I wonder if anyone's realized I'm gone…"

He thought of his friends and family back in his world, as he slowly sank into the water.

"I don't get it...How can all this happen in something so simple as Minecraft? It's just a computer game…" He said to himself with a somber tone.

He then raised his hand out of the water, feeling every drop run down his arm.

"It can't just be a dream...But what could it be? How am I even in this world in the first place…"

He then shook his head, clearing his mind.

"I shouldn't think about all that. It would probably just confuse me anyway."

* * *

Meanwhile, in a whole different room from Joe's, the girls were all enjoying their own large bath. All of the girls in Joe's care were stripped down to nothing, enjoying the relaxing hot water.

"This. Is. AWESOME!" Lia screamed, as she cannonballed into the water, splashing everyone around her.

Nia, feeling the full front of the splashing, quickly steamed in anger.

"Am I just going to have to get a leash for you or something!?" She snapped at the smiling spider-girl.

"Oh, just let it go." Ria said, smiling. "It _has_ been some time since we were able to have a proper bath like this."

"Yeah, the only other way we had to bathe was in that cold, shallow lake back home." Cupa added.

"Speaking of that…" Lia said, before looking across the room, only to see a frightened Andr hiding behind a pillar, still in her towel. "You coming in, or what?"

Andr started to shake nervously.

"B-But you know I don't do well with untreated water! Unless its treated like Joe-kun did with our watering hole back home, it will burn my skin!" She whined.

Cupa giggled to herself. "Relax Andr-chan. The rules of nature don't apply in the Nether. I'm sure you will be able to enjoy it with us." She replied.

"Do...Do you really think that?" The timid Andr asked.

"Trust me, if it did hurt you, I think Joe would be in here to help you in a heartbeat." Ria replied back, giving a slight wind of relief to the Ender-girl.

"Well...If you guys say so…" Andr said, as she slowly stepped towards the bath.

She slowly dipped her toes into the water, and much to her surprise, her foot didn't engulf with pain like water would normally do to and Enderman.

"So. You burning alive?" Lia sarcastically asked, flashing a grin.

"W-Well, no….But…"

"'But' Nothing!" As the hyperactive spider-girl quickly grabbed Andr's towel, in turn pulling her into the water.

She quickly surfaced herself, taking a deep breath.

"L-Lia-chan, please don't do that!" Andr whined, splashing the water in frustration.

"Well, at least you're not hurt, are you?" Cupa asked.

Andr then surveyed herself. She was definitely in the water, yet she felt no pain.

"Well...No…" Andr replied, submerging herself deeper in the water.

"See? Nether makes no sense at all, I know." Lia said, smiling, causing everyone else to laugh. "Speaking of no sense, anyone see where Mary went? Eh, what am I saying. She's probably out doing something weird people like her do."

"Are we all enjoying the bath?" Came a voice from outside the bath.

Everyone turned their attention to the direction of the voice, and could see Blazette standing outside of the bath, with only a towel on as well.

"O-Oh, uh, Hello, Your Majesty…" Andr timidly croaked.

"No need to be so formal. Any friend of Joe is a friend of mine as well." The princess said, smiling rather brightly.

"S-Sorry, it's just I've never met anyone in royalty…" Andr stuttered.

"No need for worry. So, I have a question for all of you. Between us girls, you know?" said the princess, as she slowly entered the bath, discarding her towel. "What do all of you think of Joe?"

At that moment, the room got suddenly more quiet, as three of the five girls went beet red, leaving Lia and Ria unfazed.

"He's awesome! He gave me and Nia here a home after a creeper blew it up! He even saved us from it!" Lia exclaimed excitedly. "Ain't that right, Shortstack?"

"H-Huh? Y-Yeah…" Nia replied, stuttering her words.

"He helped me against a horde of monsters, and even took an arrow in the back for me. He's a very noble and kind person." Ria added, smiling.

Blazette's eyes widened at this. "Really...Well, how about y-?" She tried asking Andr, who was completely submerged in the water to avoid the conversation. This left her to turn her head towards Cupa, whose cheeks were still red, but she had a much softer look on her face.

"How about you?" The curious princess asked the young Creeper-girl.

Cupa turned her head to the princess for a moment, then looked forward, slightly looking into the water.

"He's a wonderful and kind person. I found him only a few weeks ago, and he gave me nothing less than hospitality." She started. "If it weren't for him, I would've either froze or starved to death. He saved my life, and even my free will. And the same could be said for the rest of us."

Blazette cocked her head at this answer.

"She's right." Popped a voice.

Andr had surfaced her face, and had heard everything Cupa said.

"None of us would be here without him. Cupa would have starved, I could've been seriously hurt by all the rain, and Ria, Lia, and Nia would've been out of luck for a home." She said, finishing her statement.

"We all owe our lives to him. Is that a good answer?" Cupa asked in return.

Blazette was dumbfounded by the girls' words. She never expected an answer like that.

"Y-Yeah...It was a very heartfelt one…" She replied, only to smile a bit.

She then looked to the ceiling, thinking about the girls' answer.

_You really are as wonderful as I thought…_

* * *

Meanwhile, across the halls of the castle, a faint sound of a scream can be heard echoing throughout.

If one were to follow that scream, they might hear a few more as well:

"I thought I told you to quit that!"

"Oh please, that won't make me stop~!"

If one were to investigate even closer, one could see a young man dressed only in a towel speeding through the halls in a dead sprint.

If that wouldn't shock you enough, a young woman with the same amount of clothing, would be chasing right after the young man with open arms.

Better yet, Joe sprinted as fast as his legs could take him, running through corner through corner of the halls, wearing nothing but a cotton towel.

And in dead pursuit, Mary relentlessly followed after him, able to see exactly where he was going.

While running, Joe thought up of an idea.

As soon as he turned a hard corner, he immediately entered one of the rooms next to him, paying no attention to what room he was in.

He closed the door behind him, and held his ear to the door.

"Hey, where'd you go?", Followed by the sound of heavy, repeated steps whose sound slowly dwindled away.

The coast was clear, as Joe blew a deep sigh of relief.

He was good to go, all he had to do was open the door.

_**Click!**_

"..."

_**Click!**_

_**Click!**_

"...Wha…"

_**Click! Click! Click!**_

No matter how he turned the knob, it would just not turn open.

"Huh? What the hell is-"

"Oh, how embarrassing~."

After hearing this voice, a chill ran up his spine.

He slowly and drearily turned around, only to have what he would consider fuel for a nervous breakdown.

He found he was inside of a bedroom, and that Mary was strewn across the bed, wearing only a very small lingerie.

"Well, go ahead. Do whatever you want~." Mary said, winking.

"Where did you even get that!? And how the hell did you get in here!?"

Mary giggled to herself.

"Oh, you'd be surprised to see what the maids have in these rooms." She replied as the sat up, revealing more of her body. "Now, aren't you going to keep me company?" She playfully asked, arms reached towards Joe.

All the blood flowed into Joe's head, as the first thought ran through his mind.

**GET OUT OF THIS ROOM.**

Without thinking, Joe took his tightly balled fist, and thrusted it into the door. Luckily, he had enough force to punch a straight hole into the door.

The desire to exit the situation drove him to tear the door right off the frame, without a rational thought running through his mind.

"GET ME OUT OF HERE!" He screamed as he tossed the door aside, and made a dead bolt down the hall, leaving Mary alone.

"Aww, hes just shy." Mary said, as she vanished with a snap of her fingers.

* * *

**11am, and I just get this finished.**

**Reminds me of the good times.**

**Thank you so much for still wanting to continue with what I make, even though it's probably been almost a year since my last update.**

**I thank you for your patience, and hope you can be patient with me again.**

**Thank you for your time, I'll see you in the next chapter.**


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